Forever Yours and Yours Alone
by pumpkinmoose22
Summary: When an apartment suffers from a mysterious fire, Lois Lane stumbles upon an old journal belonging to none other than the Man of Steel. Conflicted between her reluctant attraction to Superman and a curious draw towards Clark Kent, Lois has to make a decision while the world is threatened by its greatest foe yet - someone bent on total annihilation of the human race. Post SR.
1. The Past Goes Up in Flames

The Past Goes Up in Flames

Many would assume that when someone is the victim to heartache, they would turn and run as fast as they could from the source that inflicted the pain. However, often we forget to calculate that sometimes the heartache felt is another expression of the undeniable love that one has been harboring for the source since the moment destiny decided for them to cross paths.

"Can't you go any faster?" I snapped angrily to the cab driver.

"Ma'am, I'm going as fast as I can," he replied with similar emotion. "There's not much I can do when a fire's backed up the whole bridge."

I groaned. This guy had no appreciation for journalism. "Forget it; I'll walk!" Quickly handing over my fare, I got out and rushed down the sidewalk towards the billowing smoke. "Where there's smoke, there's a story," I muttered as I pushed people out of my way. I got a lot of angry complaints but I chose to ignore them. One major thing I'd learned in my younger days was that if you wanted to be a reporter, you had to deal with all the negativity that came with the job. Most would walk away but I love challenges and being a reporter in a big city like Metropolis was the perfect place to find them.

I rushed in my high heels until I reached the disaster. Firefighters were already on the scene, their hoses aimed towards the apartment complex in a desperate attempt to extinguish the roaring flames. Police officers were managing the crowd; they'd even gone so far as to put up caution tape. Ignoring the yellow strip, I slipped past the cops and headed for a firefighter.

"Excuse me, Lois Lane, Daily Planet."

"Not now, lady, can't you see we've got a situation?" the firefighter angrily retorted. "If you don't want to get smoke in your lungs, I'd get out of here."

I rolled my eyes. "Smoke in my lungs hasn't bothered me in the past. What caused the fire?"

"LANE! What do you think you're doing?"

I smiled innocently as Inspector Sawyer marched towards me, her sunglasses flashing dangerously.

"Hey, Maggie, what's up?"

"Lois," she groaned, "this is not a safe environment. I need you to get behind the line with the other reporters."

"And miss out on all the juice? Heck no! Mags, give me the details. What happened? How did the fire start? Was it deliberate or an accident? Do you think the building is going to have to come down?"

"LOIS!"

"What?"

The two of us stared silently into each other's eyes; hers exasperated, mine fiery. After a moment, Maggie caved. "We suspect that the fire was deliberate. This building was so old that most of the woodwork was doomed to light up like a candle. If the building doesn't collapse, we're going to have to tear it down."

Scribbling quick notes onto a notepad, I asked, "Do you know who started the fire?"

"No," Maggie muttered. "We couldn't find a body. However, we did find ashen footprints outside the window to the fourteenth floor."

I paused and looked up. "You think they jumped?"

"If they did, their body isn't anywhere on the pavement."

Knitting my eyebrows, I looked up at the fourteenth floor. "Maybe they used some kind of device to climb down the building."

"Or they flew out," Maggie joked.

I audibly cringed. "I doubt that," I said testily.

Maggie noticed the frost in my tone but decided not to comment. "Well, whoever they were, they must be a foe to Superman."

"Why would you say that?" I demanded.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "Lois, don't you recognize this building?"

"Why would I-?" But then I paused.

For the first time since my arrival I noticed the old familiar entrance, the ugly looking canopy over the doors providing little to no shade from the sun. Old flower boxes lined the ground windows on the outside. Looking up at the top, I knew the upper floor consisted of a suite with a balcony, perfect for looking out at the rest of the city. My lower lip started to tremble.

Before I could speak a blur of red and blue shot through the sky; Superman had arrived on the scene. Without a moment's pause he blew a gust of wind out of his lungs that killed the roaring flames instantly. He looked around at the ground, probably to see if any needed assistance. Finding that the paramedics had things under control, he turned to leave but then paused.

Slowly, he glided towards the top floor and stopped in the air. His solitary state was beginning to draw attention. He didn't seem to notice at all. His eyes were fixed upon the ruins of what once was a balcony thriving with plants and white metal garden furniture. Even from the ground, I could see the anguish in his eyes. In that moment, though I would deny it for days, I ached just as much as he did. Five unbearable minutes seemed to pass before he turned and flew away so fast that I blinked and he was gone.

I didn't even bother to stick around to gather any more details concerning the fire. My heart wasn't in it. I walked away from the ruined building feeling as if a part of me had been wounded. I glanced back at the building and without warning a few tears fell down my cheeks.

In the elevator of the Daily Planet, my cell phone rang. "Hey Luce," I mumbled.

"I just saw the news," my sister said. "Lois, I'm sorry. That apartment meant so much to you and-"

"Lucy, now's not a good time," I said forcefully. "I'll call you later."

Before she could reply, I hung up. Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes and leaned against the elevator, grateful that I was its only occupant. A memory from long ago played before my mind and I remembered the night when I first met _him._ Technically, he'd met me, saving me from a malfunctioning helicopter. That rescue led to my first interview with him which took place on the top floor of the apartment complex which had just been severely burned. It was the birthplace of so many interviews, wonderful evenings, and the name of Superman. The location had even been turned into a museum of sorts where the public could go to see where the first interview with Superman occurred. Now it was nothing more than a memory.

I tried to bury my feelings. I'd been fighting them since he'd come back and I was determined to conquer them as many times as I had to. I had every right not to think about the Man of Steel. A little over five years ago he left Earth in search of Krypton but he didn't even bother to say goodbye. Neither did he find it important to tell me that I was pregnant with his child. Now that last part had been one rude wake up call. Here I was moping over the loss of my superhero only to find out I was pregnant! That had been a trying time in my life – one where he was absent.

Some may think I'm a terrible person for not immediately forgiving him when he reappeared six months ago. Can you blame me for holding a grudge? He ditched me without any explanation and through circumstances I still don't understand I gave birth to his son! Oh, I'm not complaining about Jason; he's the greatest treasure in my life. I'm complaining about the fact that his father didn't even bother to be there for either of us when we needed him most. He came swooping into our lives after five years of absence and expected everything to be the same. How wrong he was! I'd moved on. I'd found Richard.

Richard; now there's one can of worms I cringe when thinking about. After Superman saved all of us from Luthor's last plot, Richard and I have had a falling out in our relationship. Richard refused to stand between what I really wanted even though I plainly told him that there was nothing there to want. I had him. What more could I want? But for some reason, he decided to break off our four year engagement and move to England to work for the Daily Planet's sister location in London. Currently, the only one who knows about the break up is Richard's uncle and my boss, Perry White; everyone else believes that Richard is on an extended business trip. He's been gone for three months. I wonder how long it will take before people figure out that he's not coming back.

My stomach tightened as I thought about that. Everything was Superman's fault! He probably didn't even realize how royally he'd messed up my life when he made the decision to leave me five and a half years ago. Because of that choice, I'd had to endure pregnancy alone, raise my son without his father, find a worthy father figure, and then watch as he walked out too - all because Superman had decided to shove himself back into my life. Everything had been perfect until he showed up. I was happy. I had a family. Everything was looking up.

Looking up…every night for the past five years I'd look up into the night sky outside of the house off Riverside Drive... My heart would have the stupidest experience through the nightly routine. First it would fill with longing, then with bitterness, anger, and finally sorrow. Every night had been the same until he came back.

Groaning, I shoved my palms into my eyes. _Why couldn't he leave me alone?!_ Not only did I have to endure the torture of being his personal chronicler again, I was seeing him everywhere including in my own head. Again, I cursed him. How dare he; the selfish jerk! How dare he leave me and my son for five years and then return with the foolish notion that, now he knew about Jason, he could visit him any time! He haunted my apartment almost every night to read a bed time story to his son. He'd stay until the story was finished, kiss Jason goodnight, wish me well, and then fly away. He never stayed. Not that I gave the impression that I wanted him to. I was angry and he knew it. Every time we were near each other things became strained. Our interviews that once lasted for hours now only took fifteen minutes.

The elevator doors dinged open and I mentally shoved Superman and every annoying thought about him back into the mental drawer I usually kept him in. Strolling into the bullpen, I was grateful for the sudden distraction of noise. Reporters rushed from one place to another, their hands filled with papers or in some cases, tablets. The Daily Planet had been undergoing an upgrade to the new technologies being introduced to the public. The old computers had been cycled out for thin flat monitors and much faster internet. The technology was the number one of the market, made by both Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries. LexCorp would have been in the running had Lex Luthor not been found and arrested for trying to once again not only kill Superman but the human race. He would be doing jail time until the day he died.

I did the typical required dance of dodging my fellow employees as they went here and there, some loaded down with files, others with coffee and donuts; the latter sounded super good. Deciding to make it to the break room, I set my purse down at my desk only to find that a fresh cup of coffee and a large chocolate cake donut were waiting for me. Puzzled, I looked over to find the hunched back of Clark Kent. Unconsciously I smiled for the first time today. Clark had not only brought me coffee but also my favorite donut. How had he remembered that chocolate cake donuts were my favorite? It had been years since we'd seen each other due to his five year trip to see the world. I suddenly realized I hadn't even bothered to catch up with Clark and he'd been home for six months! With all the turmoil going on between Richard and me, I hadn't really had any time for friends let alone my ex-partner.

Clark's hands were pounding away at his keyboard. He'd obviously hooked a good story; he never typed like that unless he had some really juicy facts. His back was hunched a little, his shoulders pulled up, his face close to the monitor. I walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. As to be expected, Clark flipped out from the sudden contact. Leaping several feet into the air, he knocked over his cup of coffee which spilled all over the notes around his desk.

"Lois!" he cried distractedly while trying to wipe up the mess, "I didn't know you were here."

"But you were expecting me to show up any moment," I said with a grin. Clark avoided my eyes as he continued to clean off his desk. I helped him as best I could; I kind of felt responsible since I'd startled him so badly.

"I kind of figured you'd be here soon," Clark muttered as he took the majority of his notes and threw them away. "You're usually in around ten these days."

I raised an eyebrow and tried to hide my smile. Clark had always had a crush on me; it wasn't really a secret. Most people would probably find it alarming that a man knew their schedule so well but I'd been on so many assignments with Clark I knew he wasn't like other men. He was very old fashioned. That was one thing I'd noticed right off the bat when I'd first met him. Clark Kent was a genuine gentleman, a very hard thing to find, especially now a days.

"Thanks for the coffee and the donut, Clark," I said sincerely. "I'm really sorry I messed up your notes."

"Golly, Lois, you didn't mess them up," Clark said hurriedly, "my elbow did that."

"Still, all your work," I pointed out, eyeing the trashcan filled with brown stained yellow paper.

"I didn't need it anymore anyway," Clark assured. "I'd already typed up everything I needed from them."

I looked over his shoulder at his monitor. "What's the story?"

"Finders keepers," Clark said.

"Clark, I won't steal from you," I said with a grin.

"Only because I've typed everything up," Clark observed.

How did this man know me so well? Laughing, I leaned against his desk and folded my arms. "You're right," I admitted. "Now, what's the story?"

"A robbery that took place two hours ago," Clark answered. "The thieves were trying to run off with a million from Metropolis City Bank. Luckily the authorities apprehended them after a small chase. Superman stopped the car by melting some of the asphalt."

I stiffened when _his_ name was mentioned. "I bet he didn't think about how much damage that does to the city. Do you know how long it will take to pour in new asphalt and fix the ground? That road is probably going to be shut down for a week!"

Clark's expression suddenly turned into a heavy frown. "I bet he didn't think about that," he agreed. "Maybe he can help fix it?"

"Oh, Clark, come on," I scoffed. "Superman fixing a road? He's got other things to occupy his time."

"But, you just said that he probably hadn't thought about the damage," Clark sputtered. "If he knew, don't you think he'd fix it?"

"No," I replied flatly. "He doesn't usually think about the details, does he? Thanks for the coffee, Clark. I've got a story of my own I need to write."

I regretted speaking to Clark that way but I couldn't help it. He'd brought up Superman. Darn it; that man was going to follow me no matter what.

"LANE! MY OFFICE! NOW!"

I rolled my eyes. Deviating from my desk, I headed for where Perry White stood waiting. The moment I closed the door, Perry's hardened exterior melted. "I saw the news, Lois," he said gently. "Are you alright?"

I denied a scowl from forming on my face. Deciding to play ignorant, I folded my arms and leaned against the wall. "I'm fine, Chief, although I have to say I don't know what you're talking about."

Perry frowned. "Don't play coy with me, Lane. That apartment meant the world to you."

I couldn't help the scowl from showing this time. "Perry, it was just a building! There's nothing important about it. Buildings can be replaced."

"But memories can't be," Perry pointed out.

"Some memories aren't worth remembering," I snapped.

"You can't tell me that you're not upset over the fact that the first place you interviewed Superman has gone up in flames!"

"Perry, I'm not upset!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Lois!"

"Perry, enough already! What's done is done. I can't magically turn back time and make the building reappear and neither can Superman. It's gone. There's no use crying over spilled milk so let it go, okay?"

I hadn't noticed my eyes tearing up. Perry sighed heavily through his nose before walking over and shutting the blinds to his office, enveloping us in privacy; he usually only did this when he wanted to give a heavy lecture to someone. I was surprised when he came over and gave me a hug. That was the last straw; darn the old man! The tears fell free from my eyes.

"I'm sorry it burned down, Lois," Perry muttered.

"It doesn't matter," I muttered stubbornly into his shoulder.

He stroked my hair. "Of course it doesn't," he softly mocked.

"Yeah," I mumbled, "I just have something in my eye."

"Of course you do."

"Shut up, Perry."

The old man's shoulders shook in silent chuckles. He pulled away and looked into my tearstained face. "Lois, do you need to talk again?"

As much as I didn't want to admit it, I realized that venting would probably be best. It was odd but ever since Richard broke off the engagement, Perry had stepped even more into the role of being a mentor and a guide to me; the man was Richard's uncle and he was giving me all the advice! I deeply appreciated it though. My mother had been gone for years and my father had never been the type where I could openly discuss things.

Walking over to a chair, I plopped down. "I hate the fact that no matter where I go, he's in my life," I angrily muttered.

Perry smiled a little as he walked over to his chair behind his desk and sat down. It amused him that I never openly admitted when I needed to vent; I would just jump right into it.

"You would think that he'd get the hint to stay away from me," I continued. "Yet his shadow always follows mine. And it doesn't help that you won't let anyone else interview him!"

Perry raised an eyebrow. "Lois, if I assigned somebody else to do the job I'd only ever hear you complaining about how they report the interviews. Your jealousy is something I'd rather not deal with."

"I wouldn't be jealous," I scoffed.

"Oh really?" Perry asked. "Because the last article of the Metropolis Star got an article with the Man of Steel and you went on a tirade for over an hour of all the things Kate Shellings did wrong."

"I did not!"

We both knew that was a lie. Kate Shellings was an idiot. She had no sense of writing style. I was justified in ridiculing her work! I mean, come on, who would ask Superman what his favorite breakfast cereal was? He doesn't even like cereal! At least, I'm pretty sure he doesn't. Whatever! The fact remains that she did a terrible job and I called her out on it. Was that wrong?

"Lois, you were jealous."

"I was not!"

"This was the first time Superman went to a different reporter for an interview," Perry pointed out.

His words felt like a hot knife digging into my heart. "So? He has every right to go to whomever he wants for an interview," I sniffed, pretending indifference. "I'm not his keeper."

"Lois, you are the most stubborn, pigheaded reporter I have ever employed!"

"Then why did you hire me?" I demanded angrily.

"Because you're the best! And the least you can do is be honest with yourself. Admit it; you're upset he went to someone else when he's always come to you."

"I don't have to listen to this," I snapped, standing up.

"Sit down!"

"Make me!" I shouted, folding my arms.

Perry rubbed his face with his hands. "Great Caesar's Ghost, woman! Why are you so stubborn?!"

"Why are you so insistent?" I snapped back.

"Because you're in love with him!"

I opened my mouth to retort but nothing would come out. Huffing angrily, I looked away from him towards the wall.

"Lois, in your last interview with him you told him to go find someone else because you were through. It's your own fault that he actually chose to do that."

"I didn't expect him to actually do it!" I cried. "I was angry, Perry! And of all things he chose a girl twenty years younger than him who works for the Star," I growled. "The _Star_ of all things! It's infuriating and insulting!"

Perry sighed. "So that's what the latest issue is; he chose a younger woman than you."

I stiffened. My reaction confirmed his words. Ten eternal seconds ticked by before I melted. _"Fine!"_ I snapped. "You're right! I was already angry with him before but then he had to go off to someone half his age. Now the tabloids are filled with ridiculous nonsense about how he's moved on because I'm too old for his tastes! Do you know how humiliating that is?! And then, just when I'm trying to forget the past and move on, some idiot has to go and incinerate the first place I ever actually…" I paused. I couldn't bring myself to say the words.

"The first place you fell in love with him," Perry finished. It wasn't a question.

I swallowed painfully, the tears starting again. Deciding not to confirm Perry's assumption, I continued, "And it didn't help that I saw him at the apartment complex; the look in his eyes! His expression was what I felt like on the inside."

"Doesn't that show that he still loves you just as much as you love him?" Perry pointed out.

"It's not enough," I snapped, drying my eyes forcefully. "Perry, he left us. I can't easily forgive him for that."

"But you _will _forgive him."

I hesitated. Standing up, I muttered, "I need to get back to work. Thanks for the pep talk, Chief." Avoiding his eyes, I left his office.

Sometimes I regret telling Perry everything. Some might think I'm crazy giving away my son's true parentage but Perry had been so determined to find out the true reason for Richard walking out of my life. True, he suspected Superman was the main issue, but he couldn't understand why Richard would leave Jason when he'd practically been his father. Perry had started asking way too many questions and eventually, under a lot of emotional turmoil, I'd cracked and told him everything. What shocked me was that he wasn't surprised to find out that Jason was Superman's son. He'd told me he had suspected all along. Even though it was at times like this that I held enormous regret for spilling the beans, deep down I was immensely grateful that I had someone to talk to.

Sighing, I walked back to my desk and sat down. Clark was gone; he probably had to run off to find a source for his article. Turning to my desk, I picked up the donut he'd saved for me and half smiled as I looked at it. Clark really was a great guy. He always knew how to make me feel better. For some unexplainable reason, my coffee was still hot. I didn't complain; hot coffee went much better with donuts anyway. Draining the plastic cup, I didn't pay too much attention to the two small round burn marks in the bottom. Turning to my keyboard, I began hacking away at the story of the apartment fire; I'd have to do it since I was the only one there from the Planet. Besides, the faster I got it out of the way, the sooner I could go back to focusing on forgetting all about _him_.

4/24/14


	2. Out to Lunch

**AN: Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea of this story. All the characters belong to DC. **

**Thank you to all those who have read this so far! This is my first stand alone Superman Fanfiction! I just wanted to let the readers know they can expect a new chapter EVERY Thursday (something to look forward to, yes?) This story will be presented by both Lois and Clark for plot reasons with Lois in first person and Clark in third person. There's also a little bit of Smallville characters and scenarios to look forward to but these are minor compared to the rest of the story. Thanks again for reading! All of you are awesome! Now, enough rambling from the author and on to what you really want to read!**

**Reviews are love!**

Out to Lunch

I'd barely finished my article when Clark walked back into the bullpen just after one in the afternoon. He sent me a warm smile and a cheerful wave. I couldn't help smiling back. That goofy wave always caused me to chuckle on the inside.

"Hey, Clark, did you just get back from checking with a source?" I asked.

"Actually, there was another story I decided to chase after."

I frowned. "Great, I'm holed up in Perry's office while Clark Kent gets to run all over Metropolis to get the goods. What's the story this time?"

Clark grinned and adjusted his glasses. "Oh, it wasn't anything big, Lois. There's a burger place in town and the word on the street is its beating out its competition."

I raised my eyebrows. "You're kidding, right? You went chasing after a fast food story?"

Clark swallowed before reaching up to play with the knot of his tie. "Well, Lois, I thought it would be a good place to check out. There could be a scandal going on behind the counter."

That peaked my interest. "What do you mean?"

"I just heard rumors that the restaurant might be a cover up for a drug exchange location," Clark revealed.

"Really? Let's go check it out!" I said, grabbing my bag.

"Right now?" Clark asked.

"Wait, you didn't already go there, did you?" I asked, halting in my steps towards the elevator.

Clark slammed into me. "Oh, Lois, sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Clark. Now, did you go already or not?"

Adjusting his glasses again, Clark shook his head. "No, actually, I left the Planet because my source didn't want to talk to me over the phone. I came back to ask you if you wanted to go there for lunch."

My face brightened; finally a story that didn't involve a certain caped crusader. "Let's go!" I cried excitedly, rushing towards the elevator.

Clark stumbled in his haste to follow me and almost didn't make it before the elevator doors dinged shut. After reaching the ground floor, Clark led the way towards the burger place, which was three blocks away from the Daily Planet. Inside, the interior design made me feel like I was stepping back into the fifties. Old records hung from the ceiling and walls, posters of old rock bands were scattered here and there along with advertisement signs from the same era as the records. The chairs and booths were sparkling red and the tables were white, accenting the black and white checkered floor. Fifties music blared from an old jukebox standing near the doors to the bathrooms on the opposite side of the room. The place was occupied with young adults and a few people around Clark and I's age. We headed for a booth and once seated, waited for the waitress to come take our orders. After sharing our choices with a young waitress fresh out of high school, Clark looked around seemingly taking in the area. However, I knew he was searching for clues. I searched for some myself, noticing the cashier behind the register had a tattoo across the knuckles of his right hand. They were blue and white flames. Briefly the chef in the kitchen appeared to place a fresh order on the counter for the waitress to pick up. I noted that he too had the same blue and white flamed tattoo.

"Clark," I muttered, pretending to look at the dessert menu.

"What is it, Lois?"

"Notice the cashier's hand?"

Clark squinted through his thick glasses before turning back to me with a concerned look. "Lois, I don't think a tattoo is something to be concerned about. Wait, you're not thinking about getting one, are you?"

I rolled my eyes. Sometimes Clark could be one of the dullest tools in the shed. "No, Clark, I'm not planning on getting a tattoo. The cook has the same tattoo on the same hand."

"Really?" Clark asked, suddenly seeming more interested in the inked skin of the cashier.

"Yeah. That's a little interesting, don't you think?"

"It's definitely something to look into," Clark agreed. "Let's Google it when we get back to the Planet."

Soon after, the waitress returned with our burgers, ending the current conversation. I ordered a simple one with a hint of hot sauce while Clark ordered a burger with everything on it. I had to give it to him; the guy had a big mouth. He chewed through the entire thing with ease, well, until he came to the tomato. It caused a huge mess of juice, mustard, and ketchup to come tumbling right onto his shirt. Unsuccessful at hiding a small hint of laughter, I handed him a napkin.

"Thanks," he muttered, taking it. The clean up did no good; the stain was in plain sight.

I chuckled. "Have you always been this clumsy, Clark?"

Clark swallowed and adjusted his glasses. "I guess so," he admitted sheepishly.

Was it strange that at that moment I noticed his eyes for the first time? Clark had always adjusted his glasses but this was the first time I'd paid attention to the eyes behind them. "Your eyes are blue," I blurted.

Clark froze. Swallowing painfully, he blinked several times and looked at anything but my face. "Um, yeah."

I felt like an idiot. "Sorry," I said, embarrassed. "I just never noticed behind your thick glasses."

I wanted to put my foot in my mouth. _Thick glasses? Come on, Lois! Insult him some more because that will definitely make things even less awkward than they already were._ I mentally smacked myself.

Clark didn't take my words as an insult. In fact, I looked up to find the ghost of a smile on his face. "My eye sight was really bad as a kid."

"Oh." An awkward moment passed in which we both took a few more bites of our burgers. "So, with everything that's been going on, I haven't had time to ask what you did on your trip. Where did you go? What did you see?"

Clark popped a french-fry into his mouth and chewed slowly, looking out the window. I found that a little odd; usually Clark was overly excited to talk to me. Something told me to wait so I held my tongue. Clark sipped down some water before finally looking me in the eye. Gosh, now that I noticed them, his eyes really were gorgeous.

"Lois?"

I shook my head. "What? Did you say something, Clark?"

Clark raised an eyebrow. "I did but you looked lost in thought. Are you alright?"

I blushed as I suddenly realized that I'd been enjoying Clark's eyes instead of listening for his answer. "Sorry, I was just silently guessing where you'd gone," I lied.

Clark looked a little confused but didn't pry further. I mentally hit myself again. Had I seriously been checking out _Clark Kent_ of all people?! What was wrong with me?

Clark cleared his throat and regained my attention. "You asked where I went. The truth is… I didn't really travel to do some soul-searching."

I blinked. Clark Kent lied about where he wandered off to for five years? If I was curious before, now I was enraptured. Where had he gone? What could possibly call him away from his life for such a long period of time?

Clark looked uncomfortable but continued, "I went searching for my parents."

My eyebrows knit together. "You're from Kansas, right?"

"Yes."

"Didn't you send half your salary to your mother?"

Clark smiled. "Yes, Lois, I did."

"So were you in Kansas for five years?"

"No. My mother in Kansas isn't my biological mother," Clark revealed.

"You're _adopted?_" I asked in surprise.

"Yes. It's not something I openly talk about though. My adopted parents found me when I was three. They took me in. Nobody claimed me so they decided to keep me."

"Clark, I had no idea. I'm sorry."

Clark shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal, Lois."

This topic seemed rather sensitive to him but my big mouth couldn't keep shut. Blame the reporter in me. "So you went looking for them? Your biological parents?"

"Yes."

"Did you find them?"

"Just a graveyard," Clark replied, popping another french-fry absentmindedly into his mouth.

Instinctively my hand reached over and covered his. A tingling sensation I hadn't expected shot up my arms, causing the hairs to stand on end. Clark seemed to feel it too because he quickly pulled his hand away. I blinked several times, confused. A shiver that had nothing to do with cold flooded through me. I pulled my hand away and set it in my lap.

"We should be getting back," Clark said, standing up.

"Yeah," I muttered.

Clark insisted on paying for my lunch as well. I didn't argue too much. Since Richard had left me with little to no money – all of it had belonged to him except my own salary – I needed to save as much as I possibly could. I'd spent most of what I had getting into the new little apartment Jason and I occupied. Honestly it was a miracle I'd been able to find anything affordable in the city. Metropolis's pay rate had risen quite a bit in the time I'd lived in Richard's house. Currently I was living from paycheck to paycheck; something I wouldn't admit to anyone, including Perry.

It wasn't until we reached the elevator that would take us back to the bullpen that I spoke again. "I'm sorry about your parents, Clark."

He looked over at me and reached for the knot of his tie. "It's okay, Lois. I didn't have high hopes. It just took me a while to find them."

"Um, where were they?"

Clark suddenly stiffened. The doors opened, revealing the chaos. Clark padded his pockets. "I think I left my wallet back at the burger place."

"What? Do you want me to go back with you?"

"No, no, that's okay, Lois."

Before I could say more, he'd closed the elevator doors. I raised an eyebrow but shrugged it off. As I walked back to my desk to look up those strange blue flamed tattoos, the TVs scattered throughout the bullpen were playing live footage of Superman breaking up a drug bust behind the very burger place Clark and I had just visited.

"You have got to be kidding me!" I snapped angrily. Several reporters looked at me strangely. Ignoring them, I turned around and marched towards the elevator. Punching the up button, I tapped my foot impatiently as I slowly crept towards the roof. Cursing how slow the elevator was for once, I marched onto the roof and shouted at the top of my lungs.

"I know you can hear me! If you know what's good for you, get over here in less than five minutes!"

I paced back and forth, looking at my watch. I had an hour before I had to go pick up Jason from school. That would be plenty of time, if he would bother showing up. Five minutes passed. Nothing. I forced the tears away.

"Always around," I whispered angrily, "what a load of-"

"Forgive me for being a little late, Miss Lane."

I wheeled around, my heart doing an annoying little flip. There he stood, his cape billowing in the wind behind him, his spit curl perfectly placed over his forehead. His startling blue eyes displayed the emotion he was feeling under the surface: nervousness. Secretly pleased that I had him in such a state, I marched up to him, my arms crossed.

"Miss Lane?" he asked tentatively.

The anger purred within me in pleasure. He was invulnerable to everything and yet when faced before me he was shaking in his boots. I felt a strange sense of triumph that I was the only one who could make him have such an emotion…such… vulnerability.

"I saw you solve a drug bust," I pointed out.

"Yes?"

"I don't suppose you realize I was at that very restaurant not even ten minutes ago."

Superman's face remained the same. His silence confirmed the question behind the accusation. Of course he knew. He dotted on me, even after I made it clear that I didn't want anything to do with him at the moment.

"Lois, I waited until you were out of harm's way. Besides, the dealers didn't do anything until after you and your friend left."

"Clark and I were there to inspect the situation! You swooped in and took all the glory, like you always do."

"Lois, I was merely solving a problem," Superman began.

I cut him off. "And what the heck is up with you going to another woman for an interview?" I demanded. "The Daily Planet not enough for you now? Do you want more fame since you've returned, feeling like you need to make up for lost time? And to pick such a young reporter! I guess even Superman isn't so super when it comes to girls that flaunt themselves without any dignity!"

Superman stepped back in surprise. My words burned into him with equal intensity to his heat vision. Good, I thought savagely. Let him feel the pain. He deserved it. The surprise on his face was replaced by hurt, halting the next stream of angry accusations from spewing from my mouth. I'd never seen such hurt in his eyes. It was worse than what I saw when I interviewed him after his return.

He walked away from me, his eyes turning to look out at the city. He floated up to the balcony's edge, resting his bright red boots on the small surface. Turning to look at me, he still held that same hurt in his eyes. "If you think the Daily Planet isn't good enough for me, Lois, you are truly mistaken." His voice expressed the hurt in his eyes. I'd never heard him address me with such sorrow. "After rescuing Miss Shelling from a near fatal car accident, she decided to make up a false interview with me and write it in her paper. I though after everything we've been through it was clear that you are the only one I will ever come to for personal interviews, Lois. I guess I didn't make that impression clear."

Before I could say another word, he flew off. My heart broke a little on the inside. Tears, annoying ridiculous tears, fell down my face. "I'm sorry," I whispered aloud to myself. "Why do I always hurt everyone I care about?"

It was then that my cell phone decided to ring. Drying my eyes and clearing my throat, I hit the little green phone symbol. "Hello?"

"Lois?"

"Clark! Did you find your wallet?"

"Yeah but I wanted to tell you, I got the scoop on the drug dealers."

"Yeah?" I asked, trying to sound excited. I failed miserably; it came out completely flat.

"Are you alright?" Clark asked, noticing the lack of enthusiasm in my voice.

"Oh, yeah, I just rubbed someone the wrong way," I admitted.

"Oh. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, Clark, that's okay."

"Okay," he paused. "Well, Lois, I wanted to tell you, those drug dealers were actually _terrorists!_"

My mouth dropped in shock, my mind temporarily forgetting what had just happened. "You're kidding!" I gasped.

"They pretended to open that burger place and dealt drugs to use as an excuse to find some good locations to be discreet with their actual plans. They made friends with some dealers, found some locations, and planted bombs around the city. Superman heard about their plots and stopped them just a few minutes ago before they could push the detonator. Of course they were going to blow up themselves with the burger place as the finishing touch."

I swallowed and suddenly felt like the biggest jerk on the face of the planet, maybe in the entire universe. Tears fell down my face. If Clark hadn't suggested for us to leave…

"I'm glad you're okay, Clark," I said, trying desperately to keep my voice even. "I'll see you when you get back?"

"Uh, o-okay, Lois."

I hung up without saying goodbye. I slid down the wall by the door to the roof and put my head down, sobbing uncontrollably into my arms. My phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Maggie.

_Lois, get over to the station as soon as you can. I found something from the remains of the fire you might want to take a look at. _

I lowered the phone and continued to cry, deciding it was best to get it out of my system before reapplying the mask I had dawned for over five years. My tears were a mixture of frustration, humiliation, and sorrow. Ignorant though I may have been, I threw everything I had into Superman's face because I was angry he'd ruined my life. I felt humiliated because I'd acted like some ridiculously jealous girlfriend and we weren't even dating. And then the worst realization was that yet again, though I hurt him like I never had before, he'd saved my life. My tears intensified as sobs escaped my throat, my body shaking as I broke down completely.


	3. The Package

3: The Package

I stayed up on the roof for a solid twenty minutes, calming myself down while hoping my makeup didn't look terrible from all the tears that had raced down my cheeks. Wiping my face dry one more time, I stood up and sucked in a deep breath before sniffling. I looked at my phone. Now I had forty minutes to not only get to Maggie but also pick up Jason. The last thing I wanted to do was take him to the Police Station; he was still freaked out by the last time we visited when he had to testify against Luthor for what he'd done to us on the boat. I made him swear that he wouldn't say anything about the piano, to which he thankfully remained silent. That information would have caused a whole different circus for the media. No, it was best to keep Jason away from anything that had to do with the authorities for the time being.

Racing out of the elevator, I rushed to my desk, grabbing my purse. Clark was sitting at his desk and for once, he wasn't looking at his computer but right at me. "Lois, are you alright?" he asked with concern.

I waved him off. "I'm fine, Clark," I said without looking at him. I was making it a point to keep my face hidden behind my hair. Good thing I'd decided to wear it down today. I strode back towards the elevator.

"LANE! Where are you going?"

Not even bothering to look back at Perry, I shouted, "I'm going to see a source, Chief."

Keeping my head down as much as possible, I got in the elevator without looking back. Thankful that nobody joined me, I pulled out my compact mirror and took note of the damage. Yep, I was a complete and utter mess. My mascara ran dry down both cheeks making me look like a raccoon. I prayed that nobody had noticed back in the bullpen; the last thing I needed was a bunch of sympathies. I was _Mad Dog Lane_; I wasn't supposed to be weak and helpless. Shoving the keys into my car, I quickly fixed my face – thank goodness I kept wet wipes in the glove box just in case Jason needed them – and then pulled out into the busy city traffic.

It took ten minutes to get to the station. Looking at the time, I figured I could only spare five minutes with Maggie before needing to head over to pick up Jason from school. I rushed into the Police Station and marched up to the counter.

"Miss Lane! What brings you to the office?" the receptionist asked, recognizing me immediately.

"Maggie wanted me to see her."

"Darn right I did," said a voice behind me.

I whipped around to find Maggie strolling towards me with a box in tow. "What's so urgent, Mags? I only have five minutes before I have to go pick up Jason."

Maggie handed the box over to me. "This won't take long. I think you'll find that interesting."

I peered into the box and noticed a half melted plastic container with my name on it. The handwriting wasn't mine but it was incredibly legible. For some reason I felt as if I'd seen it before but I couldn't place where. I raised an eyebrow. "Where did you get this?"

"It's one of the only things to survive that apartment fire," Maggie revealed. "We found it in the basement."

"I haven't lived in that apartment for years, Maggie. Are you sure this is mine?"

Maggie shrugged. "How many other Lois Lanes do you think lived in that building?"

I frowned and stared at the melted plastic again.

"Look, Lois, since it's got your name on it, it's yours to claim. If you don't want it, I'll toss it into the garbage with the rest of the junk we managed to rummage through."

"No, that's okay," I said without thinking. "It might have been one of my keepsake boxes that got lost along the course of moving."

"Right, well, if you find anything worthy of embarrassment, please share," Maggie joked.

I smiled while rolling my eyes. "Thanks Maggie." I glanced at my watch. "Gotta go; I'll see you around."

And I rushed out the door without another word. Shoving the melted plastic into the trunk of my car, I hopped in the driver's side and quickly rejoined the traffic heading towards Jason's school. I drummed my hand on the steering wheel, panicking with how fast the time was going. Ever since the experience with New Krypton I didn't like having Jason out of my sight. It was hard enough allowing him to go back to school. After that burst of super strength involving the piano, I was on edge; I had nightmares of Jason's teacher calling to ask why he'd split his desk in two and how he was able to pull the door off its hinges when coming in from recess. Thankfully these had only remained horrors of my subconscious but I wasn't willing to take chances. If people knew Jason's true parentage, they might take him away from me, and there was no way I would be able to survive if Jason was stripped from my life. He was the only thing I had to comfort me over all five years of loneliness.

"Mommy!" Jason cried ten minutes later as he opened the passenger door. "You're almost late."

I smiled warmly as I kissed the top of his head. "Sorry, munchkin. I had to run an errand."

I waited until he was in his seatbelt before heading for our apartment. Perry refused to have me come back to the Planet after picking Jason up. He said it was too difficult to find a babysitter this time of day but I knew better; aware of my fears about Jason, Perry had given me some leeway. He warned that it wasn't a permanent deal but for now I was to take it easy. It had been a month but I was still as overprotective of Jason as ever. I wasn't anything like a helicopter mom but I did like to know where he was at all times.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Jason asked as we headed up the stairs to our shabby apartment on the other side of the city. It was a two bedroom one bathroom apartment with a small living room and kitchen but it fit our needs. I was just thankful for a roof over our heads and electricity.

I opened the fridge and looked in. It was practically bare. I sighed. I couldn't afford to take us out to eat and it wasn't a secret that I was known as the worst cook in the world. The only things I could somewhat make were Macaroni and Cheese or pasta with spaghetti sauce. I went to the pantry and pulled out a box of Mac and Cheese, turning to Jason.

He tried really hard to hide his disappointment. I tried hard not to cry. After the incident on the Gertrude, Jason's allergies had disappeared along with his asthma. I was incredibly thankful for the change, since I couldn't exactly afford all the different medications he'd been on. Still, I was devastated that my son had to live in such conditions.

"Don't worry, I won't burn it this time," I promised, pulling out a pan from the cupboard and filling it with water.

Jason suddenly surprised me by wrapping his arms around the back of my legs. "I love you, Mommy."

I swallowed the wave of tears threatening to fall from my eyes as I turned around and scooped him into my arms. "I love you too, sweetheart," I whispered, stroking his hair.

"Mommy? Everything's going to be okay," Jason said confidently.

I choked back a sob, holding my son as tightly as I could to my chest. He was the one bright thing in my life. He was all I had left. Surely Superman wouldn't want to talk to me, let alone look at me, after the way I'd treated him today. I felt like such a fool. My hatred was only the outward expression of my hurt. It had been building up for five years and now that the subject to which it was associated had returned, it was released without control every time Superman appeared.

Jason kissed my cheek before wiggling free to start on his homework. I pulled out my laptop to work on a couple of stories I could email to Perry later on tonight. I may not be allowed to come into the Planet but there was no way he could keep me from a story and I had several of them that needed to be finished and printed before they were considered old news.

The Mac and Cheese actually turned out better than I thought it would. There was only a quarter of an inch burned at the bottom of the pan rather than two inches this time. Jason followed me into the living room where we plopped down on the couch to eat dinner while watching a movie. I'd decided that we didn't need to eat around the table tonight since the meal wasn't really messy. Besides, I really wanted to curl up and this was the best way to do that with my son cuddling next to me.

After the movie was over I went through the usual routine of putting Jason to bed. We brushed our teeth together before I helped him into his pajamas and then under his covers. Pulling the comforter up to his chin, I first kissed his nose and then his forehead. He kissed my cheek. "I love you, Mommy," he said, his little arms reaching around my neck to give me a hug.

"I love you too, Jason," I whispered, hugging him back.

"Will Superman come tonight?" he asked, looking at his window.

I smiled. "You ask that every night. You know the answer."

"Yeah but maybe there won't be a time that he can come," Jason mumbled, looking down at his tiny hands. "He might have to go save someone instead of coming to read to me."

"If that were the case, I'd come right after that," a deep timbre voice said from the window.

I jumped while Jason's face broke into a large grin. "Superman!" he cried excitedly.

Superman floated through the window into the room. I was finding it hard to look at him. Part of me wanted to get up and leave like I always did but another part wanted to rush up to him and apologize for being such an idiot. Jason was totally oblivious to the tension in the room; he was too busy picking out a story from his two layer bookshelf for Superman to read.

I stood up and wrapped my robe around myself, finally bringing my eyes up to his. He looked just as sad as I felt. I bit my lip. "I'm sorry," I whispered so quietly, nobody but him would hear. I hadn't intended to be so quiet; I was embarrassed at having to admit it. My cheeks burned.

"I am too, Lois. I didn't mean-"

"How about this one?" Jason asked, shoving a pirate story into Superman's hands.

"That's a good choice," he said, turning his attention away from me.

"I'm going to take a bath," I said walking towards the hall. "Will you be able to stay with him until I'm done?" I asked, turning around.

Superman looked up at me, his expression soft. "I'll stay as long as you need me to, Lois."

I swallowed a painful lump in my throat. "What about saving the world?"

"A friend's got it covered," he answered.

I furrowed my brow but decided not to comment. Jason was looking rather impatient from having to wait for story time. I nodded to both of them before leaving the room to bathe. Normally when a man was in my apartment I wouldn't blatantly take a bath but this was Superman. Even with his x-ray vision, he'd never take advantage of me. The hot water soothed my skin as I allowed myself to soak in the tub. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken a bath; I usually took a shower. Thinking on it, I hadn't been in a tub for over a year.

"I should do this more often," I muttered to myself as I closed my eyes and leaned back.

I stayed in the warm water longer than I planned. By the time I got out and dressed in my pajamas, Jason was fast asleep while Superman sat in a chair beside him, watching him silently. He turned when I entered the room but remained quiet. I caught his eye and left, indicating for him to follow me if he so wished.

"Um, want some hot chocolate?" I asked while reaching for the mugs on the top shelf.

"Sure," he said in the kitchen doorway.

My cheeks burned as I quickly grabbed the cocoa from the nearly empty pantry and the milk from the almost bare fridge. I knew if he wanted he could see how empty everything was but he didn't comment. After warming everything up, I shook the cocoa into the milk and then poured it into two different mugs. I turned to find him watching me silently while leaning against the bar. The scene took me by surprise as the sudden realization hit me that Superman was in my broken down apartment about to have hot chocolate with me. And he was leaning casually against the counter like a normal person. It was the strangest sight I had ever seen. Usually he always stood tall, his shoulders square, his arms folded across his chest.

"Here," I said, handing him a mug.

"Thank you," he said, drinking it without worrying about how hot it was.

I blew on mine in between sips while heading to sit down in the living room. Superman followed. He sat down in the armchair while I took the couch. After what felt like an eternity of uncomfortable silence, Superman cleared his throat.

"Lois?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Yes?"

"About earlier –"

"What about it?" I asked defensive.

"I want to apologize," he said, setting his now empty mug on the coffee table. "I wanted to talk with you more about that false interview but I was needed elsewhere."

"Oh," was all I could manage to say.

"I was wondering if we could have an interview on the subject."

My eyebrows rose. "Right now?"

Superman nodded.

I shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Um, where did I put that thing?" I muttered, standing up to find my recorder.

"Your purse in the side pocket," Superman answered.

I looked over at him. "Thanks." Sitting down, I turned it on. "So, Superman, can you explain why you chose to finally speak to another paper after only going to the Daily Planet since your debut?"

Superman smiled. "Actually, I want it to be clear that I never went to another newspaper for an interview. That article is false news that was created upon an imaginary scene."

"Was any of it true?"

"Only the part where I saved Miss Shelling from a near fatal car accident," he answered. "After making sure she was safe with the paramedics, I left to help someone in France. I didn't stay for an hour to have an exclusive with her even if she may claim that is what happened."

"Why would you only stick to the Daily Planet?"

"I trust it," Superman answered without hesitation. "I have never had reason to pursue a different newspaper because I can always rely on the Daily Planet to print the facts instead of creating personal liberties."

We discussed a few other things and then concluded the interview. I yawned widely after turning off the recorder. Superman stood up. "I should be on my way, Lois."

I tried not to look disappointed. _You're supposed to be mad at him, remember?_ I told myself. "Well, you know where the window is," I said evenly.

He looked at me with concern but didn't voice his thoughts. Walking down the hall, he turned and looked back at me. "Thank you for the interview. I'm sorry you had to stay up later than you'd planned."

I shrugged. "Trying to cover your tracks is normal, Superman. Everyone doesn't like to track in dirt no matter who they are."

Superman nodded. The awkward tension had returned now that the interview was over. "Well, I'll see you around."

Without waiting for a reply, he flew out of Jason's window into the night. I was about to retire to bed myself when I remembered that package Maggie had given me earlier. Making a last minute decision, I grabbed my keys and rushed down to my car. I was back in the apartment with box in tow in less than two minutes. I checked on Jason and breathed a sigh of relief to find him sleeping peacefully. My heart relaxed. Taking the melted container into the living room, I sat down and tried to pry the lid off, breaking it in the process. Tossing it aside, I peered in to find two things: a letter and a journal.

The letter had my name on it in the same perfectly legible handwriting. I opened it curiously. The letter was a single page and it was stiff, like it had been sitting in the basement for years. Smoothing the yellowed surface, I began to read.

_Lois,_

_I couldn't physically come to say goodbye; the pain was too great. Besides, the pain I have already inflicted upon you is unreasonable for any human being to endure._

My heart raced as I realized just whose handwriting this was. Swallowing hard, fighting tears, I read on.

_Though it is against my very being, I am letting you go. You deserve someone much better, someone who can always be there for you, no matter what time of day. However, because I cannot deny the feelings I have for you, I still want you to know all about me. I am unsure if I will ever return to Earth and if that be the case, I wanted to leave this journal behind so that one day people would know who I really was. I entrust you to write about it to the world and leave it to your discretion on how to proceed whether in multiple articles or a book. I do have one request however; please refrain from writing about my earth mother if she is still living; I don't want anyone to bombard her. It would be a poor service on my part if that happened. _

_I wouldn't trust anyone else with this journal but you, Lois. My only prayer is that by the time you read the last entry, you will understand not only more about me but why I chose to leave._

_I will never stop loving you._

_Forever yours and yours alone,_

_Kal-El _

'Forever yours and yours alone.' I reread those words over and over again. It was the sweetest declaration of loyalty and love I had ever read. Kal-El…Superman. He'd left this for me. Why had I never received it?! What did he do? Leave it on the roof? Forcing the irritated feelings aside, I looked back at the letter and then the journal still in the box. To my dismay, the top right corner of the book had been burned. I opened it and flipped through the pages. The damage reached down the first line, cutting off the words written on the top. Luckily it was only two or three words; I was sure that as I read I would be able to figure out the missing pieces. The journal wasn't anything special; just a simple hardbound black book. It wasn't full either; there were only a handful of entries, ten to be exact. Even though it was scarce, I eagerly opened to the first page and began to read.

_My mother bought me this as a means of therapy. My father passed away due to a heart attack three weeks ago and I haven't been handling the news well at all. I've always liked writing so maybe this will work better than the stiff condolences I have been getting from my peers in school. _

He went to _school!?_ And he had _parents!?_ My mind spun with wanting to know more. I read on.

_My two real friends, Chloe and Pete, have been very helpful. They're good listeners and it helps that they know the secret. The secret; I guess I should explain that. The truth is I was adopted when I was three years old. I'm an alien from another planet, a planet called Krypton, which was destroyed shortly after I was born. My parents sent me away to Earth in hopes that I would survive. I found out what I really am about a month ago. It's a long story but in a nutshell my biological father, Jor-El, placed a crystal in my ship containing an artificial intelligence of himself so I could talk to him and learn more about where I came from. Those heritage lessons happen on the weekends. Even though it freaks me out that I'm an alien, I'm glad I know the truth. _

_I've always been different. I can shoot lasers from my eyes; my parents call it heat vision. I can see through anything but lead; don't ask me why lead because I have no clue. I can hear anything on Earth which gets SUPER annoying sometimes and has been incredibly difficult to learn how to control. I have super strength and invulnerability too. I bent my mother's kitchen knife on accident when I chopped down on my hand yesterday. Because of the invulnerable thing, I'm fine. Not even a scratch but I had to re-bend my mother's knife back to how it was. A little heat vision and super strength fixed that without a problem. Then there's the weirdest thing of all…I can fly. Yup, that's right; I can defy gravity any time I want. I used to only be able to run super fast and leap really far, like several corn fields far, but as of late I've taken completely to the skies. _

_Jor-El said it's because of the yellow sun. It does something to my cells that causes me to have super powers. I know, weird. I've been abnormal my whole life and though I always wanted to be just like everybody else, I now know I never will be. I'll always be different. I'll never fit in. I can try, like I always have, but nobody truly understands just how lonely I always feel. I'm the last one of my kind, I have to hide who I am, and I might have to live behind a mask my entire life. I can't talk to anybody and receive empathy, only sympathy. I wish there was someone else who knew exactly what I was going through or shared the powers I have. But Jor-El was adamant about me being the last one. _

_I'm glad my parents were the ones that found me. They found my space ship and instead of turning me into the government, they raised me as their own. They've never been able to have children so they consider me an answer to all their prayers. They raised me in humble circumstances and I honestly don't think I'd be who I am if I'd been raised by someone else. My parents have taught me to use my abilities for good, to not be afraid of them just cautious. They've never been scared of me just amazed and wanting to understand. They consol me when I get freaked out over something I do and they never exclaim that my powers are a curse. I'm grateful for that. I'll be forever in their debt for it. _

_I really miss my dad. I wish he was here. Mom misses him too but we're getting by without him. The house isn't as cheerful but it might change in time. I'm going to be graduating in a couple of months. I wish he could be there. Whatever happens after high school, I'm going to live up to the life he and my mom have raised me to have. Not only do I owe them that but I want it for myself. _

That was the end of the first entry. I reread it just as I had the letter. So Superman had been raised on Earth! He was completely wrong about not fitting in; even if he was an alien, he was human just as much as humans were. He acted just like us and understood us despite being from another planet. I wished he'd write the location of where he was raised. That would be so helpful! I glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes past ten. Deciding to stay up, I flipped to the next page and read on. I noticed the date was several years later.

_I guess I'm not much of a journal writer when it comes to my personal life. I was digging though my personal belongings when I found this. I've decided to take it with me to Metropolis since I'm moving there permanently tomorrow. I've toured several different cities but Metropolis seems to be where my heart yearns to live. I'll be sad to leave my mom but it's been a few years and she has several friends in town who are willing to come and help out should she need anything. _

_I guess I should add that I just graduated from Met U in journalism. I decided to go down this path since it allows me to keep close to the news. I need to be in an environment where I know what's going on and if needed, I can slip away to help. My mother surprised me with a uniform; a suit of some type I suppose is the best thing to call it. My favorite color being blue, she made that the main color of the suit with a red cape and boots. It's also got a little bit of yellow in it and she put the symbol of the house of El on the front. It looks like an S to humans but the symbol on my world means hope. The costume is going to be a necessary precaution to keep my identity hidden. I don't really want anyone figuring out who I am. People know me as an ordinary regular guy and I want to keep it that way. But when in this costumed appearance, I can use my abilities without having to explain or hide myself. It's the best I can do in trying to live a normal life. _

_I just hope I can find a job soon after I move. We'll see. _

I glanced at the next date before reading on. It was about a month later. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw my name.

_Lois Lane. My first rescue in the suit was saving Lois Lane from falling out of a helicopter on the roof of the Daily Planet. She's the greatest reporter the Daily Planet has and she's going to be legendary, I'm sure of it. Though she doesn't know it, I knew her before I saved her. The moment I set eyes on her I felt like someone had zapped my brain. I couldn't function properly. I ended up stuttering like a moron and tripping over myself as I tried to talk to her. I hadn't planned on acting so ridiculous but Lois Lane caught me entirely by surprise. I didn't even act like this around Lana, although I did stutter and trip over myself a little. But this is a whole new level of inelegance. _

_Lois is beautiful. Although even that word doesn't seem to justify the way I feel about her. She's smart, confident, funny, and kind in her own right. The particular business she's chosen forces her to have a hardened outer shell but on the inside she's just as kind and compassionate as the editor of the Daily Planet, Perry White. I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to hold her so close after catching her and the helicopter that came falling after her. I was too elated to say much. Not to mention there were tons of people around and I wasn't about to have a long conversation with Lois in plain view of so many witnesses. I had just made my debut after all. That's why I've decided to visit her alone on the balcony of her apartment. It's a good meeting place, I think. We shouldn't be disturbed and it will give us time to talk, perhaps even give her an interview. Perry wants the Daily Planet to have all the facts first before anyone else; little does he know that's what I want too. _

_I gave Lois the note earlier to meet with me at her place tonight; I slipped the paper into her notebook when she'd left her desk. I watched her read it so hopefully she can meet tonight. My plan is to have this meeting be the beginning of a wonderful relationship. I just hope that I can show her how much I love her even when I'm not in the costume. _

After a few lines, another entry had been written as an afterward.

_I just got back from taking Lois flying. It was the greatest experience in the world. I've never taken anyone for a joy ride before her. I took my mother to the hospital once when she'd been thrown off a horse but other than that, I've never actually flown with someone else until now. I'm so glad it was with Lois. This is a night I will never forget! _

I looked up from the book towards the window, my mind wandering far away into the same memory of the first flight I spent with Superman. I smiled. That really had been the most exhilarating thing I'd ever done. The thing I remembered the most was being in his arms. He was so warm, like my own personal space heater.

Glancing again at the clock, I realized it was almost eleven. I needed to be up at six so I could get Jason to school. Reluctantly, I shut Superman's journal and stared at the black surface for a full five minutes in silence, my brain working hard. The words of the entries I'd read spun around in my mind several times as I tried to piece some things together. According to that last entry, I knew Superman before he was even Superman.

A thrill passed through me as my reporter instincts kicked into overdrive. The only way he could have known me and be able to slip a note onto my desk was by working at the Daily Planet. As soon as the thought popped into my head, I began thinking of all the employees I knew. None of them could be Superman. Then again, maybe I didn't know him like a friend but more of a fellow employee. Maybe he kept his distance so as to keep his identity a secret. Well, it wasn't going to stay secret for very long! According to his letter written to me five years ago, he wanted me to figure out who he was. He left his journal behind as proof of that. I smiled again, feeling strangely happy.

But then I frowned as I thought about how lonely he was as a teenager. Had he felt that way his whole life? Did he feel like that now? Another wave of guilt washed through me and I realized I hadn't been helping in making him feel welcomed. After reading that entry about how lonely he felt, I couldn't resurrect the anger I had been feeling towards him. The five years of bitterness seemed to remarkably vanish into thin air instantly. I wished I could empathize with him but I didn't have super powers. But that didn't have to stop me from trying to be nicer to him. The next time I saw him I wasn't going to be angry. He didn't deserve that.

I suddenly found myself looking at the words at the bottom of his letter: _forever yours and yours alone._ I stood up and headed to bed. The journal and letter never left my arms. I crawled under my covers, holding the book tightly, my eyes closing as I thought about my personal superhero.

_Forever yours and yours alone._

"I feel the same way," I muttered softly into my pillow before drifting off to sleep.


	4. The Journal

**AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews! And for those who don't leave reviews, thank you for reading my story anyway! You guys are awesome - so much so that a change in the way I update may be in the near future. (ie: getting a chapter faster than once a week!) :) We'll see... Now, enough from me! Enjoy! **

4: The Journal

I groaned as I rolled over in my sleep. Jason had been calling my name for a good five minutes.

"Mommy, I'm going to be late for school!" Jason complained through the door.

"What?"

I sat up and looked at the clock. Letting out a curse, I flung my blankets aside. Because of staying up so late, I'd jeopardized the morning routine. It took twenty minutes to get to Jason's school and I only had ten. I wasn't dressed, I hadn't showered, and I was completely grouchy because I didn't have coffee. Making some hasty decisions, I called Jason's school to inform them that Jason was going to be late.

After hanging up the phone, I groaned, rubbing a hand over my face. "I wish his father could take him to school on days like this," I muttered.

"Mommy? Are you awake?"

I opened the door. Jason stood there in his school uniform, khaki pants, white button up shirt, and blue vest, his backpack slung over his shoulders. For a strange moment, I thought I was staring at a miniature version of Clark Kent. The only thing missing was the thick glasses. Mentally shaking myself, I discarded the thought and hugged my son.

"I'm sorry I slept in for so long, honey," I said, squeezing him gently.

"Were you up late working on a story again?"

I suddenly remembered the black journal half hidden under my covers. Swallowing, trying to keep my thoughts on the present, I shook my head. "I got into a book."

"What book?" Jason asked curiously.

His fascination for stories caused me to bite my lip. I didn't want to tell him I had Superman's journal in my bed. He would have wanted to read it too and then neither of us would leave the apartment. Deciding to change the subject, I told Jason that I needed to get ready as soon as possible so we could get him to school on time.

"Why don't you color in your coloring book while I get ready?" I suggested.

"Okay," Jason said, turning to the coffee table where he'd left his crayons. I watched as he turned to a page of Superman before shutting the door to make a mad dash around my room.

Due to not getting paid until Friday, I hadn't been able to do laundry. Fishing out an outfit that didn't smell, I pulled it on; I'd decided to ditch taking a shower since there wasn't any time. Frantically going through the motions of getting myself ready as fast as humanly possible, I exited my room ten minutes later in an aggravated huff. I really needed coffee; too bad there wasn't any time to stop at my favorite shop to pick some up. Grumbling even more over traffic than usual, I weaved dangerously through the cars until I skidded to a halt in front of Jason's school. He was ten minutes late which meant I had to sign him in. Jason took my hand and giggled.

"What's so funny, kiddo?" I asked.

"You need coffee, don't you, Mommy?"

I faltered in my heels because I burst out laughing. My son knew me too well. I bent down and kissed him on the head. "I do need coffee," I said, "but I need to get you to school first."

Jason's smile faltered a bit. "Do I have to go to school?"

"Yes," I said with finality, dragging him into the office. The receptionist didn't look at all pleased that Jason was late, her disapproving eyes lingering on me with distaste. Though her thoughts were her own, her expression spoke volumes of her opinion in my ineptitude as a parent. This hadn't been the first time I'd dragged Jason in late for school. Not to mention all those times he'd been the last one to be picked up. The receptionist's silent opinion only caused my flames of anger towards Superman to rekindle. Kissing Jason goodbye, I went back to my car in a worse mood than what I'd woken up in.

Stupid Superman. It wasn't my fault I was a single mother! He'd flown off to Krypton, leaving me pregnant without any idea of how it had even happened! Richard had flown the coup when finding out Jason wasn't his and that I didn't truly love him. I was again left a bachelorette with little money and no savings having to spend it all on medical bills, medicine, and a new place to live. And it was all Superman's fault.

Then I remembered the entries I'd read the night previously and the anger intensified. Forget trying to be nice to him! I was in full Mad Dog Lane mode. My sympathies towards Superman were drowned in my foul mood of being judged about how insufficient I was as a parent. Darn that man! It was all his fault!

I stormed into the bullpen twenty minutes later in a fury. It didn't help that it was a Friday. I wished the weekend would get here faster. My coworkers seemed to sense my mood because the floor cleared as I marched over to my desk, slamming my things down on the counter. I turned on my computer and started going through my emails, checking with sources over stories I'd been chasing since last week. They had all the information I needed on the latest case of a murder trial that had been going on for three years.

After making a few calls to finalize some loose ends, I set to work pounding away at my keyboard. My heart was only halfway in it but I typed along anyway.

"You're missing a 'w' in awkward, Lois," a voice said behind me.

I leapt out of my skin, surprised to find that of all people to sneak up on me it was the most klutzy man in the bullpen. My sudden jump startled Clark and he dropped the coffee cup he was holding. It fell to the floor, its contents spilling all over his shoes.

"What is with you and spilling coffee, Kent?" I asked as I handed him a box of Kleenex on my desk.

"Dunno, Lois," Clark muttered, taking several tissues to wipe his shoes off. "Here," he said, holding out another cup.

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow but decided not to comment. How had he managed not to spill a hint of the cup he'd intended for me but drain the entire contents on the one for himself? That didn't make any sense. I took the cup without thanks and drank half the liquid in two gulps. Immediately the furious animal of aggravation calmed inside and I sighed, content.

I caught Clark's amused smile but only for the briefest moment. He immediately switched to embarrassment. "W-Well, I'd better go and clean myself up," he said, hastily making a break for the supply closet. Everyone knew he stashed an extra suit in there for severe emergencies like this one. I shook my head and turned back to my article.

"LANE! Where's that murder article?" Perry shouted from his office. "I wanted it on my desk first thing this morning!"

Rolling my eyes, I held it up in my hands. It had just come out of my printer. "Got it right here, Chief," I said, heading into his office with article in tow.

"How are you doing, Lane?" Perry asked with his hands on his hips.

"Fine," I said evasively.

"I noticed the piece about the fire yesterday. It seemed a little dry."

I bristled. "What are you saying?"

"Close the door, Lane."

I slammed the door against its frame, causing the glass to rattle. Perry gave me a disapproving look before sitting in his chair with a sigh. "Lois-"

"Perry, _don't_," I warned. "I'm not in the mood."

He pursed his lips. "I can't afford the danger of allowing you to bottle everything up inside, Lois. It's affecting the paper."

"It is not! My personal life has never interfered with my work before."

Perry scoffed. I scowled. This was not going well. I ran my hands through my hair. "Perry, don't give me time off. It will only make things worse. I need to be busy."

Perry eyed me carefully for a long time. This was unlike him; he usually shouted and carried on for a good solid minute over my stubbornness, no matter the situation. Letting out a deep sigh, he closed his eyes and rubbed them with his thumbs. After a moment, he lowered his hands and stared at me. "Lois, I wasn't planning on giving you time off. I'm going to give you a raise."

"What?"

Of all things I hadn't been expecting _that._

"You need it."

My independence wounded, I crossed my arms and glowered. "I don't want it."

Perry stood up. "I don't care if you want it, Lois, you're getting it!"

"Is anyone else getting a raise?" I demanded.

Perry remained silent.

"I thought so," I snapped. "You can't give me a raise, Perry. It wouldn't be fair."

"Dang it, Lois! Although I love him, everyone knows my idiot nephew, bless his ignorant soul, left you with little to nothing when you split. I don't even think he realized that the hospital bill you decided to pay off was covered by all of your savings."

"Shut _up_, Perry!" I cried angrily.

Perry glowered. He'd come dangerously close to revealing something he promised never to speak about. Though he was right; my savings were gone. That was probably the biggest blow in my relationship with Richard. I spent my savings to pay the hospital for the care they gave to Superman after the New Krypton incident. I made the donation anonymously because I didn't want it traced back to me. It was an act of desperation and love; my donation ensured that Superman was given a floor all to himself and the best care. Met General probably would have given all of that to him freely but I knew what it was like to have to pay bills and care for a family. I gave my savings away willingly and Richard found out when the bank statement arrived. He hadn't yelled at me but it was the last straw he needed to make his decision to leave me and Jason for good. I knew he didn't realize that was all the money I had; he probably thought I had another account on the side.

Perry cleared his throat and continued on, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Setting that aside, Lois, you've been trying to pick up the pieces of your life and you're starting to tear at the seams. It will take a couple months for you to stabilize your income again. Until then, accept the raise. It'll help."

"I don't want your charity," I shouted, slamming my hands on the table. "I'm perfectly capable of living on my own just fine, Perry. I've done it before."

"That was before you had a son!"

I shrugged indignantly. "It's not that big of a difference."

"Lois, take the raise for Jason's sake if nothing else."

I stared at Perry angrily. He stared right back. I knew he was right but outwardly admitting it would be an insult to everything I stood for.

"I didn't want to have to resort to this but I have every right to give you a raise for winning a Pulitzer," Perry growled.

My nose wrinkled as my eyes flashed dangerously. "We both know I don't want it."

"It doesn't matter if you want it or not, Lane! You won it, you get a raise. End of story. Now, get out of my office! There's plenty of news to be had in the world."

I shouted a good stream of choice words in Perry's face before turning on my heel and slamming the door shut so hard that the glass in it cracked. Everyone in the bullpen stared but I ignored them all. Grabbing my purse, I threw it over my shoulder and punched the up button of the elevator, my thoughts swirling with anger and humiliation.

I was on the roof of the Daily Planet in minutes.

_Why did he have to injure himself so much that it had landed him in the hospital?_ I thought savagely as I rummaged through my bag for my lighter. I'd quit smoking but the lighter seemed to calm me down if I held it and flicked the little flame to life every once in a while; weird therapy I know but it worked and that's all that mattered to me. Finding the little metal object, I flicked the flame to life several times, letting my anger stew.

Why did Superman have a hero complex? Why did he have to save everyone all the time? Why did he have to be so reckless and place himself in a situation where he nearly died from Kryptonite poisoning? Why couldn't he have waited for help to remove that island? He wouldn't have ended up in the hospital in a coma and I wouldn't have had to pay the bill. I would still have my savings and I wouldn't be in this situation where Perry had to thrust a raise down my throat just so my son and I could get by. Stupid Superman; it was all his fault!

Unconsciously, I'd pulled the black journal out of my bag. I'd brought it with me, terrified of leaving it in my apartment unattended. It was too priceless to leave on its own. Sighing, I opened to the entry where I'd left off and began to read.

_I never understood why Dad was always so protective of Mom when it came to dangerous situations. I had always figured it was ridiculous for him to fawn over her because she's one of the strongest people I've ever known. My father and I wouldn't have lasted two seconds without her. She was always the glue that kept us together, the voice of reason in distress, the calm in the storm of anger and misunderstanding. I guess now I realize that Dad always fawned over her safety because he knew how vital she was and because he loved her more than life itself. _

_Lois Lane may be one of the strongest, smartest, and bravest women I have ever met but she's also the biggest magnet for dangerous situations. Since my debut three weeks ago, I've rescued her from sixty near death experiences. I know that it's common for your life to be on the line as a journalist but I feel as if Lois receives a lot more attention from death than any other reporter on the planet. I wish there were times when I could be with Lois when I don't have to rescue her. We haven't been able to have a casual evening since our first official interview on her balcony. I have to keep my distance as Superman from her so as to keep her safe. If anyone found out that I loved her, they would use her against me and I would be unable to refuse their terms. I know it may seem strange and irrational for someone to fall in love in just three weeks but it's an undeniable fact._

_I'm in love with Lois Lane. _

My heartbeat felt like it could rival a hummingbird's. Plain as day, in his own elegant scrawl, he'd confessed that he loved me. Funny how he said it took three weeks; I'd fallen for him the moment he caught me from that helicopter fall. I shook my head, trying not to allow the pleasure I felt win over my anger towards the Man of Steel. I didn't want to stop the resentment towards him only because I was afraid of what would happen if I gave in to the tender longings of my heart. He'd hurt me, scared me in a way no other man had, including my father. Trusting him in a romantic relationship now would surely be the most foolish and asinine thing I could ever do. And yet how I longed to do it!

Scowling angrily, I looked back down at the journal and read the next entry, not caring that Perry was probably wondering where I'd run off to.

_I have discovered that humans can be the strangest and most complicated beings. I don't understand why someone would have the desire to destroy entire cities just for the sake of material things such as land .Three days ago I met a man by the name of Lex Luthor who tried to sink half of California into the ocean so he could take over the real estate from the remains and make a profit. He planned to carry out his scheme with the use of two nuclear government missiles. To ensure that I wouldn't get involved, he exposed me to the one thing that can kill me – Kryptonite, radioactive pieces of my home world. They must have traveled with my ship from some sort of gravitational pull and landed on Earth in a meteor shower. I find it incredibly frustrating that of all things a piece of green rock has the potential of being my demise. _

_It's astounding that even if I get near the stuff, I can't function properly. My strength leaves and I become as weak as a child. I can't even touch the meteor rocks without blistering my skin. Too much exposure will kill me, I learned later from my father in the Fortress. Long periods of exposure can lead to kryptonite poisoning, which takes away all my abilities. The only way to restore them when that happens is by soaking in the energy from the yellow sun for days, if not weeks. _

_Thankfully I didn't suffer from kryptonite poisoning in this incident with Luthor because one of his accomplices saved me after discovering her mother to be in danger from one of the missiles targeted areas. I promised to stop that missile first and she took the kryptonite off. Keeping that promise, I stopped the missile headed for New Jersey before flying to California. The latter missile impacted before I could stop it so I had to make due as best I could to repair the damages that had been caused in a resulting earthquake._

_One thing Jor-El warned me of was that it was forbidden to change the course of human history. I am not ashamed of what I am about to disclose but I pray that it will be seen as a true act of the heart and not of stupidity or selfishness. Against my father's wishes, I turned back time for the sake of saving the woman I love. In the effects of the earthquake, Lois was caught in a landslide that ended up burying her in her car, suffocating her before I could save her. I found her and discovered I was too late. In an angry rage, I took off and flew around the world so fast that it started spinning backwards, turning back time. I redirected the Earth back to its natural orbit and flew down to where Lois was to find she was still alive. I can't even begin to describe how my heart burst with silent rejoicing even as she complained that I had almost abandoned her in the middle of the desert with a broken down car. I would have kissed her right then and there if Jimmy Olsen hadn't shown up. _

_I flew off shortly after with a smile as I listened to Jimmy say that I must really care about Lois. How right he is. I care about Lois more than anyone else and though it goes against everything my father, Jor-El, has taught, I cannot fight against the irresistible force of love I have for her. I will never again alter time but I have made a resolution that no matter what, I will always be around to save Lois, to ensure she never leave me again. I love her more than life itself. If only she knew. _

My shock caused its own earthquake in my body, making me shiver uncontrollably. I had died? _I had died?!_ And Superman had turned back _time_ to save me?!

He'd turned back time to save me.

He loved me that much.

I closed the journal and put it back in my bag. I stared up at the sky, watching the clouds lazily drift in the vast blue, for what felt like an hour. My thoughts were a bundle of flying fireworks, giving me a monstrous migraine. I had died. I couldn't get over it! I had no memory of that at all. I remembered being furious that Superman had taken so long to save me after I'd run out of gas in the middle of nowhere with telephone poles falling left and right due to an earthquake. He'd flown down and listened to me rant and rave angrily with a smile on his face. I hadn't even noticed the relief in his eyes then.

I laughed weakly, pulling my knees to my chin, resting my forehead against them. "Lois Lane, you are so pathetic and selfish," I whispered.

The Daily Planet door to the roof opened, creaking loudly, startling me out of my reverie. "L-Lois? Are you up here?"

I pulled back the tears that threatened to fall. "Clark, what brings you up here?" Clark came around the door, tripping on it as it swung shut behind him. I smiled. Clark however, looked grave. I netted my eyebrows together. "Clark, is everything okay?"

"First, are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, now what is it?"

He didn't seem to believe that but he didn't push it. Instead, he swallowed, looking solemn. I hated when Clark got this way. His chipper happy-go-lucky attitude had always been the medicine for my pessimism when chasing down a story. More than ever, I wished he would smile goofily at me like he usually did. I really needed a pick me up after what I'd just learned.

"There's been another fire," Clark said.

"Fires are pretty common, Clark," I said, trying not to think of the one that had burned down my favorite apartment complex in the city.

Clark slumped down next to me on the ground and shook his head. "It wasn't an ordinary fire, Lois. The same blackened footprints by the window on the tenth floor were found by Superman shortly after he'd extinguished the flames."

I frowned heavily. "It looks like we've got ourselves another crazed pyrotechnic."

Clark nodded gravely. "Perry wants us on the case."

I blinked. "Just like old times?"

Why did I suddenly feel elated?

Clark made a small smile. "I guess so."

Feeling the thrill that always came from chasing after a story, I pulled myself to my feet. "Well, looks like we've got our work cut out for us, Smallville. We need to get to that building and gather as much information as we can before someone tampers with it."

My determination seemed to spark the journalist in Clark. His goofy, lopsided smile widened as his eyes lit up behind his glasses…his very blue eyes. I shook my head. Now was not the time to entertain the little butterflies that had started going off in my stomach. As I followed Clark down the stairs to the elevator, I couldn't help but wonder why there had been butterflies at all and why they decided to come to life when I stared into the eyes of my partner.


	5. Investigation

**AN: Hi everyone! A HUGE thank you to all of you who have decided to follow my story! You're fantastic! May a humble fan-author make a simple request? May I have a review once in a while? Anything helps: favorite parts, improvements, suggestions...just a few curiosities I have concerning my readers thoughts on my work. Oh, and in celebration of Comic Con, I have decided to give all of you not one but TWO chapters! Aren't I swell? ;) And to keep to the promise, updates will be coming sooner than once a week! Simply because all of you are wonderful. Thank you for taking time to read. Now, enough ramblings from me; enjoy Investigation! **

05: Investigation

Clark and I hopped out of the cab ten minutes later on the street corner where the second fire had occurred.

"Another apartment complex? Does our pyrotechnic have a thing against apartments or something?" I wondered aloud, glancing at Clark.

I was surprised to find that his face held an expression of slight alarm. Clark caught me staring and immediately reached to push his glasses up the bridge of his straight nose. I wish he hadn't; it gave me a perfect excuse to stare into his eyes – his gorgeous blue eyes.

"Gee, I don't know, Lois, it would appear that way," Clark muttered, looking away from my curious gaze.

Why did I get the feeling that he wasn't telling me something?

Clark moved away from me to speak to Officer Turpin, a middle aged man with graying hair and a small potbelly. Though he'd been gone for several years, the interesting friendship Clark shared with Officer Turpin was the same as it had ever been. I watched somewhat envious as Turpin shook Clark's hand pleasantly though his expression was grave. The man had a crusty exterior but on the inside he was tender. Clark seemed to be one of the few people capable of cracking the officer's shell. I wandered over to the two men just before Maggie appeared from the small gathering of police officers that were trying to clear the crowd of people that had lingered in the area.

"The results are the same as the one from yesterday," Turpin was saying to Clark.

"Even the footprints?" Clark asked, scribbling notes onto a small memo pad.

I smirked. Even after all these years where technology had advanced, Clark did things the old fashioned way. I wondered if the man even had a personal laptop.

"Yep," Turpin said. "I can't give you any more information than that, Kent. I don't know anything further myself."

"Thanks, Dan. Are we allowed to look around?"

"I'm not in a charitable mood today, Kent," Maggie said before Turpin could. As his superior officer, Maggie had every right to make the call.

"Oh come on, Mags," I whined, "We didn't come all this way just to get a statement saying the fire was the same as the last one. That's old news."

"Is it?" Maggie asked with raised eyebrows. "That information hasn't even been released to the press. Well, at least I thought it hadn't been."

"Superman told me," Clark said quickly. "I bumped into him while I was out."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "I didn't know you left the Planet earlier, Clark. Did you not have a spare set of shoes in the closet?"

"Spare set of socks, actually," Clark said, fiddling with his tie.

Turpin allowed a small smile to come upon his usual grumpy bulldog-like face. "Even after traveling around the world for five years you're still as klutzy as the day we met, eh, Kent? What did you do this time?"

"Spilled a cup of coffee," Clark muttered, his face tinged with a light blush.

Why was it that I found myself grinning? Clark had blushed plenty of times before and I hadn't thought anything of it. Maybe it was because he reminded me of someone though I couldn't recall who.

Several other reporters were making their way onto the scene. Maggie groaned. "I really hate the press," she grumbled.

"We love you too," I smirked.

Maggie frowned before putting her hands on her hips, drawing herself to her full 5'8 height. "Lane, Kent, get out of here. I'm roping off this apartment so it can be examined properly. This is a police investigation. If you want a closer look, join the force."

Scowling, Clark and I stepped back as bright yellow tape came between us and the officers. "Figures," I complained as I allowed Clark to guide me to the sidewalk so we were out of the road. "There's got to be more than what the police are saying. Did you see Maggie and Turpin? They may try to hide it but they're nervous."

Clark stared at the two officers with a slight frown. "I see what you mean, Lois, but they have every right to be. This case is strange. Two fires in two days, both apartment complexes, and nothing but a set of footprints in front of a window on an upper floor."

I pouted. "We need way more information than that to write up an article."

"Well, I _did _manage to overhear that there aren't any signs of explosives or matches," Clark admitted.

I wheeled around. "When did you hear that?"

Clark played with his pencil nervously and shuffled his feet. "Um…when you were talking to Maggie," he answered. "Someone said it in passing."

I stared at him. Why did I have that funny feeling again that Clark wasn't being completely truthful with me? I'd never paid much attention to his fidgeting before but now that I noticed, it appeared that Clark did it a lot when someone asked him an inquiring question. I'd always thought it was a simple quirk but that was before I'd actually paid attention to him. I hated to admit that I'd never really given him much thought before but that was before, well… before I actually _tried_ to look at him. Gosh, had I really been a jerk to him all those years? I thought about the past and how many times I'd taken advantage of his obvious crush on me without really giving any consideration to his feelings. Was I really that shallow?

Yes.

Not even once had I ever tried to give my partner my full attention. Not even once had I truly, deeply listened to him. I didn't even really know anything about him and I had worked with him for years. Granted, there was a five year gap between those years but still. How sad was it that I didn't even know where my partner lived let alone what he liked to do on the weekends? We were friends and yet we were more what the world would consider acquaintances. With a horrible realization, I discovered that out of all our conversations in the past, I'd talked more than Clark ever had and, even more mortifying, most of those conversations had been centered on me and my problems.

I deserved the award for the most selfish person in the world.

"Lois?"

I blinked. Clark was waving his hand in front of my eyes. Embarrassed, I felt myself blushing. "Sorry Clark, I was just thinking about something," I muttered.

_Really, Lois? Really? Here you are thinking about how you should pay more attention to him and instead what do you do but ignore him again when thinking about how you need to pay more attention to him! How ironic! _

Clark grinned. "That's okay, Lois. I was just asking if you wanted to wait until things die down a little."

A mischievous grin spread across my cheeks. "Just like old times?"

Clark's grin matched mine, his eyes glittering roguishly. "Just like old times."

Those weird butterflies had started in my stomach again as I took in his expression. They burst into flight when he unconsciously took my hand, heading towards a diner right across the street from the burned complex. The second he realized my hand was in his, he let go. The butterflies died. I tried to hide my disappointment. Clark opened the door for me and I smiled in thanks. He smiled back. It was an awkward smile. Maybe holding my hand had made him uncomfortable? I hoped not.

"What can I get you two?" the waitress asked after we'd taken our spots in a booth.

"Could I just have some water?" Clark asked.

"Sure. And you?"

"I think I'll have a strawberry lemonade," I answered.

"Okay, I'll bring those right out for you," she said, disappearing with a small clacking of her high heels.

Clark turned his gaze out the window. I followed suit. The police were still very much congregating around the scene even though it didn't appear as if there was much left to do. Even after consuming half our drinks they hadn't cleared out. The silence between Clark and I was becoming unbearable. I wanted to say something but I felt so awkward. I didn't know what to talk about. I couldn't very well ask him questions like one would when on a date. We weren't dating after all. _Why not?_ a small voice said in my mind. Squashing the absurd thought immediately, I gulped down a large mouthful of lemonade.

Clark cleared his throat, turning his eyes away from the window for the first time. Playing with the perspiration on the outside of his glass he timidly asked me, "Since we obviously have some time to kill, I was wondering-"

My cell phone chose just then to ring. Out of habit, I picked it up. "Lois Lane."

I looked at Clark and for the first time noticed his shoulders deflate with a heavy frown crossing his face, his eyes on his glass. I wanted to throttle whoever called me. They made me ignore him! And just when I decided I was going to pay more attention to him! This call had better be important!

"Lois?"

"Richard?!" I asked in disbelief, my eyes widening.

"Hey," he muttered, after a slightly awkward silence. "I just wanted you to know that I'm back in town."

"Oh really?" I asked, feeling just as awkward as he surely felt.

Richard cleared his throat. "Look, Lois, things were really rocky when I left and I was wondering if we could talk? Patch things up?"

"What did you have in mind?" I asked, trying to sound friendly. Nobody in the office knew we'd split, not even Clark. It was then that I looked down at my left hand and realized that I'd completely forgotten to take off the engagement ring; Richard had left in such a rush I hadn't bothered to think about it and I wore it more out of habit than anything else.

"Can we meet for dinner?"

"I'd have to find someone to watch Jason," I said.

"I can do it," Clark volunteered. I blinked, staring at him. He blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. You need someone to watch Jason tonight?"

"Hang on, Richard," I muttered, still staring at Clark. "Clark, are you sure?"

A sparkle seemed to come into his eyes but he didn't have a smile to match. He simply nodded, his expression smooth.

"Okay, thanks."

"No problem," he said. Was there a hint of elation in his voice?

"Who's that?" Richard asked in my ear.

"Clark," I said, and then feeling I needed to explain further, I added, "We're working on an article together at the moment."

"Oh," Richard muttered. "He said he'd watch Jason?"

"Yeah."

"Is he sure?"

"He said he was," I replied with a shrug.

"Okay," Richard said, obviously just as befuddled as I was about my coworker being so willing to give up his evening to babysit. Clark had been around Jason plenty of times at the office but I'd never thought of him as the type who would be good with kids. Richard's tone suggested he shared the same opinion but he didn't argue over it. "I'll pick you up from the Planet later?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

I sighed as I hung up the phone. I looked at Clark. He was fiddling with his tie again. "I'm sorry about that, Clark," I said, causing him to look up at me. "You were going to ask me something?"

He stared at me dumbfounded. "I-I was, Lois, but, um, you see, I actually just realized I dropped my memo pad. It must be somewhere near the apartment."

"Oh, well, let's go look for it," I said, standing up.

"That's okay, Lois," Clark said, standing up. "I'll be fine. Besides, one of us should stay here so the waitress doesn't think we're leaving without paying."

"Oh, yeah, I guess you're right," I muttered, sitting back down.

Clark booked it out of the diner before I could say anything else. He appeared to be in quite the rush. I looked out the window but I didn't see him anywhere near the complex. I furrowed my brow. Where on earth did he go?

I sat in the booth for twenty minutes. I went to the bathroom after holding it for five; I didn't want Clark to think I'd disappeared. It was only when it became unbearable that I leapt to my feet and bee-lined for the restroom. When I got out, Clark was back, sitting in the booth drinking his water, watching the window.

"I never thought it would take you that long to find a memo pad," I said, sitting down.

Clark adjusted his glasses and swallowed the last of his water. "Sorry, Lois. Someone picked it up and dropped it in an alley. It took me a while to find it."

"I didn't see you anywhere near the complex," I said before I could stop myself.

Clark blinked. "You were watching?" He sounded completely baffled.

"Of course, Smallville! Why wouldn't I have been?" I asked.

Clark fidgeted in his seat, playing with his now empty cup. "Well, golly, Lois, you never have before," he said, puzzled.

I felt my heart pick up speed. Swallowing, I looked away. "That's not true," I replied softly. I couldn't look at him. The shame was too much. Wanting an escape from this conversation, I looked out the window and found one. "Looks like the police are finally leaving," I said, leaping to my feet.

Clark continued to stare at me thoughtfully as he rose to his feet as well, placing money on the counter for our drinks; well, my drink, since water was free. Great, just like all the other times, I'd used him. Except this time it wasn't on purpose. I'd just reacted without thinking. Making a mental note to make it up to him, I left the diner, Clark on my heels.

Looking around, we crossed the street and went to the alley next to the complex. Nobody seemed to be paying us the least bit of attention. Clark kept watch while I tried to find an open window. After a few, I found one where the glass had shattered. The remains littered the alley; good thing I was wearing close-toed heels or I would have cut up my feet.

"Clark," I whispered. He turned and I pointed to the window. He shuffled his way towards me after checking that the coast was clear. "Help me up," I muttered.

"Lois, there's still some glass in the sill," Clark pointed out.

"Don't worry, Clark, if we avoid that side of it we'll be fine. Now give me a leg up will you? I'm not as tall as you are."

Clark put his hands together but I shook my head. "No, Clark, take my waist. It'll be easier."

Clark's face turned beet red. My heart quickened when I realized what I'd just said. Well, no turning back now. Impatient, I grabbed Clark's hands and placed them over my hips. The moment we made contact the butterflies in my stomach took off. What the heck was wrong with me? Clark's breathing was right in my ear as he struggled to lift me up.

"L-Lois, maybe this isn't such a good idea," he muttered as he lifted me just high enough for me to slip my way through the windowsill.

I let out a small hiss; I'd cut myself.

"Lois? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, inspecting the cut on my arm. It wasn't deep but it ran a good two inches and had drawn blood. Clark struggled to get inside the window. "Careful!" I warned, "I got cut."

Clark paused and looked cautiously at the windowsill. With a move of grace that caught me by surprise, he slid into the window without injury. I raised my eyebrows. "Usually you're the klutz not me."

Clark chuckled lightly as he took my arm. "Let me take a look at that," he muttered, examining it for a moment.

I pulled away. "I'm fine, Clark," I said, brushing him off. I hadn't meant to pull away so nonchalantly but I couldn't help it; the moment he touched my skin I felt weird tingles.

"Lois," he called, "you should get that looked at. Maybe we should come back another time."

"And wait for the police to swipe all the evidence? No way! Come on."

I walked out of the small apartment living room we'd entered into the main hallway. The building had been blackened but the wood seemed pretty sturdy on the staircase. Clark's expression made it very clear that he wasn't at all comfortable with the thought of going up the stairs. Rolling my eyes, I plowed onward. If we were to get to the real source of this story, we needed to take the risk; after all, journalism was all about taking risks.

"Lois, be careful," Clark muttered as a step groaned under my feet. We'd reached the sixth floor by then.

"Clark, you worry too much," I muttered. "I'm fine."

He remained tense even when we'd successfully made it to the tenth floor without anything collapsing. I started looking in the nearest apartment for the footprints. Clark walked further down the hall, deciding to check the farthest ones to meet me halfway. I'd checked three when he called my name. Excited, I rushed from the room and ended up in apartment 1010. Clark was standing in the living room, looking down at a set of burnt footprints just below the window. Well, what would have been the window; the open space had been obliterated, leaving an empty hole in the wall. The strange thing was it was cut in a perfect rectangle. If I hadn't known better, it would have looked as if the open hole had been built into the apartment.

"Weird," I muttered, coming closer to look at the prints. They didn't have any tread. The size was around size 12 in men's according to Clark. The print had burned right through the carpet. "What do you think happened?"

Clark shook his head, his eyes wandering around the apartment as if he were seeing a ghost. "I have no idea, Lois."

I looked around as well. This apartment was worse than the others. The owner of the footprints must have started the fire in this room. "Why did they pick this specific apartment?" I wondered aloud.

Clark shrugged.

I blinked for a few moments, taking in the living room. It was right by the front door and the kitchen was just off to the left. I gasped. "Hey, isn't this the apartment you used to live in before you went on your trip?"

Clark blinked. "Uh, yeah, it was."

I glared at him. "You could have said something earlier Clark!"

"I didn't think it was important," he admitted.

"My old apartment was burned down yesterday while yours was burned down today. Doesn't that seem weird to you?"

"Well, I guess."

"Clark! Someone just might be targeting us," I said.

"Why would anyone want to come after us, Lois?"

"Clark," I sighed, feeling like I was talking to a five year old. "We put a lot of people in prison back in the day. What if someone's out to get us, seeking revenge?"

"If that were true then why burn down apartments we don't live in anymore?"

"Maybe because they want to threaten us? I don't know. But we can't ignore the fact that the fires started in the apartments both of us used to occupy."

"Lois, as far as I can remember, nobody we put in prison can start a fire with nothing and leave an ominous set of footprints burned into the carpet," Clark pointed out.

I sighed. "Okay, you're right about that one. Maybe someone who hates us paid this person to do this?"

Clark folded his arms and shrugged. "We can only guess for now."

I looked at the prints again. "We can't let this story run cold. We're on to something, Clark. I can feel it!"

Clark didn't argue but he did suggest we leave before the police came back. I didn't want to but I allowed him to steer me from the room. My thoughts were going a mile a minute. Who would have the ability to make fires start of their own free will? I'd heard of other vigilantes in neighboring cities but as far as I could recall none of them had fire powers. Maybe I could talk to Superman about it. I mentally bristled as I thought of the Man of Steel. Tossing the idea from my mind, I followed Clark out the same window we came in. We managed to leave the alley just as the police detectives showed up. They didn't notice us and we pretended to casually cross the street before hailing a cab.

Clark didn't get out of the cab with me once we stopped in front of the Daily Planet; he said there were a few sources he needed to check in with on an electric company's malfunction the other day; it had left half the city without power for three hours. He promised to be back in time to pick up Jason. I nodded before waving goodbye.

Later that night, after I'd picked up Jason and was sitting at my desk back in the Planet, Clark reappeared.

"Hey," he smiled, setting his coat on his desk.

"Hi," I said, stretching. "Jason's visiting with Jimmy in the dark room. He loves watching the whole process especially when it comes to pictures of Superman."

Clark continued to smile kindly. "Is he a fan?"

I rolled my eyes, showing my distaste. "You have no idea."

Clark's brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

I sighed. "I guess I'm just frustrated with our city's caped crusader."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clark asked nervously. "I mean, I honestly understand if you'd rather not. I mean, that is, if you want someone to talk to sometime…I'm… I'm here to listen."

I couldn't help the smile climbing up my cheeks. I hadn't noticed before but his fidgeting was rather endearing. "Thanks, Clark. But even as much as I'd love to talk about it now, I can't."

"Oh, right, babysitting."

I continued to smile. "Yeah. Um, hey, you really don't need to."

"I want to Lois," Clark said, his stuttering gone.

In the past there had been moments when Clark would seem like an entirely different person, like his bumbling actions and mild-mannered personality would transform into an assertive and strong individual. I'd never been able to figure that out but I'd always shrugged it off.

"Are you sure?" I asked, ignoring the deep desire to learn more of this mysterious side of Clark Kent.

Clark nodded emphatically. "I'm positive."

Before either of us could reply, Jason came bounding down the bullpen. "Mr. Clark!" he called cheerfully, waving.

Clark smiled. "Hey, Jason!"

Jason wrapped his arms around Clark's legs and stared up at him with a big smile. "Mommy told me I get to spend the evening with you!"

"And she was right," Clark said, his face soft.

I watched the scene with both shock and pleasure. I'd never known Jason to burst through his shell so quickly upon someone he barely knew. It had taken a year before he even warmed up to Richard. He'd only known Clark for about three months and he was already treating him like he'd known him for years. And the strangest thing was Clark was giving him his undivided attention. He seemed to hang on every word Jason spoke as he rambled on about school. I'd never realized that Clark could be so good with kids. One more plus to add to my list. Wait, I had a _list?!_ Since when was I keeping a list on _Clark?_

_Since you saw how sexy his eyes were_, the annoying voice from earlier replied in my head.

"Lois?"

I leapt out of my thoughts. "Yeah, Clark?"

"Is it alright with you if I take Jason back to my place?"

"What? Oh, sure! I didn't know you'd found an apartment."

"An old friend hooked me up," Clark revealed.

"Really? That's good. Um, can you give me the address so I can come pick him up later?" I asked.

"Sure."

Clark scribbled it down on a sticky note before handing it back to me. I raised my eyebrows. This address was in one of the richest parts of town. How could Clark afford it? I decided it wasn't my place to ask. Besides, he might start asking questions about where I lived and I didn't want to admit that I was living in the neighborhood most people in his neighborhood frowned upon.

"Thanks," I muttered, taking the sticky. I got down on one knee to hug my son. "Don't forget to finish your homework."

"I won't, Mommy," Jason said.

"Bedtime is at nine, no exceptions."

"I know, Mommy."

"Don't eat too many sweets."

"Mommy!" Jason whined. "I'll be fine!"

I laughed and kissed him. "I love you, munchkin."

Jason buried his face into my neck, squeezing me tight. "I love you too, Mommy." He pulled away and grabbed Clark's hand. "Come on, Mr. Clark! Let's go!"

"Oh, okay," Clark said hastily, grabbing his coat as Jason started pulling him towards the elevator. "See you later tonight, Lois!" he called over his shoulder.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was quite comical to watch all 6'4 of Clark Kent be hauled away by my six year old. The sight of them caused warmth to spread from my head to my toes. They looked like quite the pair. As they waited for the elevator, Clark was looking down at Jason with admiration while he looked up at Clark with a huge grin on his face, chattering away about dinosaurs he'd learned about in school.

_Yep, definitely another check on the list,_ I mused. I mentally smacked myself again.

It didn't occur to me until I was well on my way to meet Richard at a local restaurant: for the first time since the incident with Luthor's yacht, I hadn't been afraid to leave Jason with someone else.


	6. Unanchored

06 Unanchored

Clark could hardly belief his luck; he'd managed to find a way to spend the entire evening with his son and as Clark Kent no less! Just as he was allowing himself to fantasize about all the fun they were going to have, a thought struck him. What if he heard a cry for help? He couldn't just leave Jason alone. His rescues could take from anywhere between five minutes to several hours. A frown replaced the smile on his face and Jason, who was in the middle of explaining the difference between a raptor and a T-Rex paused.

"Mr. Clark, are you alright?" he asked.

Clark looked down at him. "Oh, yeah, why do you ask, Jason?"

"Well, you usually get that look when you have to go off to rescue someone," Jason replied.

Clark froze and stared down at the six year old. "What?"

Jason giggled. "Golly Mr. Clark you look funny! Do you _not_ have to rescue someone?"

"Jason, I'm a reporter. I don't rescue people."

"Yes you do! When you're not reporting with mommy you're off being Superman!"

Clark didn't know what to do. Feint ignorance or tell the truth? Well, children were more observant than adults sometimes and they were also prone to speaking their thoughts aloud to those whom they trusted. The last thing Clark wanted was for Jason to tell his mother who he really was. He preferred to do that himself; if he could only figure out a way to do it.

Clark stared down at Jason. They had made it halfway down the elevator. Getting down on one knee, he looked Jason in the eye. "Jason, first off, how did you find out?"

Jason grinned. "Oh, that was easy! When I first saw you months ago you were standing in the bullpen with Mommy and then Superman was on the TV behind you. You were the same. Why do you wear those funny glasses?"

Clark laughed. From a child's view his secret had been exposed. Who would have thought? "I wear the glasses because I need to disguise myself. Every superhero has a secret identity."

"Why?"

"Well, we can't always be super all the time. It would get boring. Besides, I like being a reporter."

"Because you get to be close to Mommy?" Jason asked innocently.

Clark blushed. "Um….well….yes. That and it's good to be somewhere I can hear the news. It helps to know what's going on in the world so I can help people faster."

Jason nodded, thinking. "That makes sense."

"Jason, you've known my secret all this time. Have you told anybody?"

Jason shook his head. "No. I've wanted to tell Mommy and Daddy but…" he paused, looked down at the ground, and sniffled.

Clark put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Jason?"

"I felt I should ask you first," he sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve, "but then Daddy left us. Why would Daddy leave, Mr. Clark? I thought he loved us. Did he leave because I threw that piano? I didn't mean to throw it! That bad man was going to hurt Mommy! I didn't know what to do. I just pushed the piano and it flew across the room! Maybe Daddy left because he was scared of me."

Clark gathered Jason into his arms and stood up just as the elevator doors opened. Several reporters entered as they exited, giving them curious looks. Clark soothed Jason by rubbing his back. "Let's go somewhere we can talk," he muttered into Jason's ear. Stepping into an alley, he set Jason down before spinning into the red and blue suit. Jason's tearstained eyes widened.

"How would you like to go flying?" Superman asked in his deep baritone voice.

Jason shyly nodded. Even though he knew Superman was Mr. Clark he still couldn't help but feel intimidated by him. Superman got down on one knee and held out his arms. Jason gingerly walked into them. Superman gently picked him up and held him close. He took off slowly and Jason gasped but it was one of excitement instead of fear. Superman chuckled.

He made sure to fly in such a way that wouldn't attract attention to the little boy in his arms. Flying straight up, he waited until they broke through the clouds before coming to a halt. Normally when Superman rescued people they held onto him tightly, their hearts beating wildly with the fear of being in the air in such a way. However, like his mother, Jason wasn't afraid at all. In fact, he was looking around in all directions, his little eyes darting every which way, his heartbeat pumping with excitement.

"This is what you get to see all the time?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Wow," Jason sighed. "I wish I could fly."

"Really? You like it?"

Jason nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, yes! It feels wonderful!"

Superman displayed a wide smile. His son loved to fly! "Jason, Richard didn't leave you because you threw a piano. He's actually relieved that you were there to save your mom."

"Really?" Jason asked, his little voice filled with the desire to be reassured.

"Really."

"Then why did he leave?"

Superman sighed. He gazed off into the setting sun for a moment before looking at his son. "He left because of me."

Jason's eyebrows knit together. "I don't get it," he said after a moment's thought.

Superman smiled sadly. "Jason, I don't know if I'm the one who should be telling you this. I only found out about it after you and your mom visited me in the hospital."

"Oh! You mean when she whispered that I was your son?" Jason asked casually as if he were speaking of the weather.

Superman's mouth fell open. "Y-You know?" he stuttered, sounding more like Clark than Superman.

Jason let out a peel of giggles. "I heard her," he said.

"Y-You did?"

Jason nodded.

"How long have you been able to do that?" Superman asked.

Jason tapped his chin in a very grown up way. "Hmmm, well, I don't hear really well all the time. It comes and goes. But I think it started after I threw the p-piano," he mumbled, remembering how he unknowingly killed the bad man. His eyes filled with tears again.

"Jason," Superman said calmly, putting a hand under the boy's chin. "I'm not mad at you for hurting that man."

"Y-You're not?"

"No."

"But, you've never k-killed anyone," Jason pointed out.

"No but I have had to hurt people."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's called self defense."

"Mommy taught me that! She said that's why she learned karate. She said it was good to know so as to stand up to bullies."

Superman smiled. When it came to self defense, Lois knew every trick in the book. That was one of the many things he found attractive about her – in times of trouble she could definitely handle herself. She wasn't a typical damsel in distress. "Your mom is a smart woman. Self defense isn't a bad thing, Jason."

"But I killed that man."

"In self defense," Superman reminded him. "However, that's only to be done in the direst of circumstances. We mustn't use our powers to kill people unless there is no other option. If you hadn't done what you did, Jason, not only your mother but you would have been killed. That man wouldn't have shown any mercy."

"So you're not mad?"

"No, I'm not."

"Okay. But, why would Daddy leave when he found out that you're my daddy too?"

Superman sighed. "Have you ever found out a secret that hurt your feelings?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah, there was this guy at school who I thought was my friend but he was actually just pretending to be so that he could cheat off my homework."

"How did you feel when you found out?"

"Bad."

"That's what happened to your Daddy. He found out that I'm your real Daddy and it hurt his feelings."

"So he just left? That's mean!"

"Sometimes after people's feelings have been hurt, they need to be alone, Jason."

"Oh. Have you ever had your feelings hurt?"

Superman immediately thought about when Lois told Richard in their kitchen that she didn't love him. Yes, that had definitely hurt his feelings. "Yes, I have," he answered, his voice distant.

"Where do you go when that happens?" Jason wondered.

Superman smiled, forcing the memory away. "Sometimes I go and try to find people who need my help. Other times I go home to visit my mother."

"You have a mom?!" Jason asked excited.

"Yes," Superman almost laughed.

"Can I meet her?"

More than anything he wanted to say yes. But it wouldn't be right to take Jason to meet his grandmother when Lois didn't even know who he really was. "I think it would be best to wait until your mother knows who I am."

"When are you going to tell her?"

"Soon," Superman answered vaguely. He had no idea when he would tell her. The very thought terrified him. The last time Lois knew the whole truth, she couldn't handle sharing him with the world. Unable to see her unhappiness, he stole her memories. It had been the best option at the time. Now he wished he could go back and change everything he'd done. Things would have been different, he was sure.

"Let's go to my place," he said after a while, drifting back down towards the earth.

"Okay."

"And Jason?"

"Yes?"

"This conversation stays up here in the clouds, okay?"

"Got it! I won't say a word to anyone, Daddy."

Superman's heart leapt. He hugged his son tighter to him, overcome with silent gratitude that the little one in his arms was not only his but had _accepted_ that he was his. Superman's elation was higher than the clouds they'd just left.

"Hold tight," Superman muttered to Jason. "There are some people watching. I'll have to fly a little faster so they won't see you."

Jason's heartbeat picked up as Superman boosted his speed. He didn't go his usual pace but it was fast enough that he shot through the sky too quickly for the human eye to see him clearly. He swooped into his apartment three minutes later. The open window had made it an easy entrance.

Wait.

_The open window?_

Superman looked around and detected the heartbeat before he saw the man. Standing in the shadows, his figure glad in black was none other than…

"Batman?" Superman asked in surprise.

The Dark Knight was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, with a smirk on his face. "It's been five years and you haven't even bothered to come visit. Instead all I get is a phone call."

Clark smiled, apologetic. "Thanks for the apartment."

"Don't mention it," Batman replied.

It was then that he noticed the kid in Superman's arms. Jason was staring at Batman with wide eyes. Superman set Jason down, walked over to his window, closed it, and drew the blinds before turning back to Batman. The second he walked back to where Jason stood the boy latched onto his cape.

"Jason, it's okay. Batman's a friend."

But Jason wasn't afraid. He was shy. He hid even more behind Superman's legs, eyeing the Dark Knight with awe.

"Who's the kid?" Batman asked not unkindly.

Superman smiled. "This is Jason. He's Lois Lane's son."

"I heard she had a child," Batman said, coming out of his corner. He got down on a knee in front of Jason and smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Jason."

Jason grinned. "You too," he squeaked.

Batman noticed Jason's unearthly blue eyes and immediately looked up at Superman. An understanding came between them and Superman nodded, unable to contain his smile.

"Does he know?" Batman asked.

Superman nodded again. "He knows everything."

"We need to talk."

"Can it wait until later?"

Batman glanced down at Jason. "I'm in town for the weekend. Tonight at midnight; the usual place."

Superman nodded. "That works. Hey, could you keep an eye on things for me until then?"

Batman eyed Jason and then smirked. "Babysitting?"

"I volunteered," Superman replied without shame.

"Fine but you owe me." Batman went to the window and opened it after removing the blinds. "It was nice to meet you, Jason."

"You too," Jason said. "Will I see you again?" he added hastily.

Batman looked back. "I expect so. Good to see you, Clark."

Superman smirked. "You too, Bruce."

If Batman was upset Superman had just revealed his first name to his son, he didn't show it. Instead he leapt out the window, disappearing into the night.

"Cool!" Jason exclaimed. "You know Batman?!"

Superman spun on his heel, ridding himself of the suit. "We've known each other for years," he said.

"Wow! Do you also know the Flash? And Wonder Woman? And Martian Manhunter? And Green Arrow? What about Green Lantern? Or Aquaman?"

"Who?" Clark asked, completely lost.

Jason frowned. "They're other superheroes like you and Batman."

Clark blinked. Other superheroes? There were other people like him besides Bruce? Who were they? He hadn't heard of them and he'd been back for a while now. "I've never heard of any of those people, Jason."

"Well, they've been around for as long as I can remember," Jason muttered.

"Maybe I don't know them because they showed up after I left," Clark suggested.

"We'll have to look them up!" Jason said excitedly. "Do you have a computer, Daddy?"

As much as he loved being called Daddy, Clark knew that it would be a terrible thing if Jason called him that anywhere else. "Jason?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"About calling me Dad," Clark muttered, getting down to his son's eyelevel.

"What about it?"

"For now, we need to keep it a secret. So only call me Dad or Daddy when we're alone, okay?"

"Okay," Jason said, completely unfazed by the strange request. He was a smart boy and if Superman told him to do something, it was for good reason. "Does that mean that when we're around other people I have to call you Mr. Clark?"

"I think that would be best," Clark admitted as much as he didn't want to.

"Even in front of Mommy?"

"Especially in front of your mom," Clark replied.

Jason didn't look too happy about that but he nodded. "Alright but, Dad, you need to tell her. It's going to be hard keeping your secret."

Clark hugged Jason tightly. "Well, you've kept it this long. I'm sure you can keep it a little longer. Now, let's get something to eat."

"Okay!"

I walked into the restaurant feeling nervous. The last time I'd seen Richard, he'd stormed out of the house with a suitcase in each hand. Without a word he'd thrown his luggage into his seaplane and taken off. It wasn't until the next day that I had learned from Perry that he'd flown off to London. I was sure Richard would never want to speak to me again after the lies I'd fed him for years but now here he was, asking to meet me for dinner.

Richard was sitting on a waiting bench when I walked in. He looked up and my heart went out to him. He looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair didn't display its usual sheen, and his smile was forced. He stood up and walked over to greet me.

"Hey," he said awkwardly.

"Hi."

"Um, I already reserved us a table."

I followed him past the entrance into the main room where tables filled with happy couples and families sat. He maneuvered around these until he reached a table that was further away from the others in the corner. After sitting down and ordering our drinks, he pressed his hands together a few times without saying anything. I found myself fiddling with the strap of my purse. This was ridiculous. We'd known each other for years, intimately for that matter, and yet we couldn't even bring ourselves to look each other in the eye.

After what felt like an eternity, Richard cleared his throat. "Lois?"

"Yes?" I asked, looking up from the menu.

Richard looked weary. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry," Richard repeated a little more confidently. "My earlier actions weren't professional."

"Richard, you were hurt. It's perfectly reasonable to act irrational when something like that happens," I pointed out, desperate to clear the awkwardness from the atmosphere. It was smothering.

"But it still wasn't right," Richard admitted. "You have to understand, Lois, I had to get away from Metropolis for a while. I needed to go someplace where I wouldn't be surrounded by…"

"By _him_," I guessed.

Richard nodded. "It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud."

I shook my head. "I don't think so. I kind of want to get away myself."

Richard seemed taken aback. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yes. I just have a lot on my plate right now."

Richard squirmed. He knew he'd placed a lot on said plate, seeing as he left me with nothing. "Lois, I'm sorry I left you to fend for yourself. It wasn't fair of me. I was just so…ugh, I hate to admit this…" he paused, taking a deep breath. "I was just so jealous! And in my anger, I unintentionally hurt you and Jason. And after my anger died down, I realized how much of an idiot I had been. Can you forgive me?"

I wanted to cry. Richard was a good man. He wasn't perfect; he'd made mistakes but if one looked passed them, they would see a heart of gold. "I forgive you, Richard," I muttered. "And I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I lied. I shouldn't have ever involved you with my life. It would have saved you so much pain."

Richard grabbed my hand. "I don't regret a moment I spent with you, Lois," he said firmly.

His tone surprised me. It was so steady, so sure, just like a rock. That's exactly what Richard had been for me: a rock; a place where I could store my anchor, where I would no longer be adrift.

I pulled my hand out from under his. "Richard, I can't keep myself anchored to you."

Richard's face fell, his eyes looking into his glass of water. "I know," he muttered. "Deep down I've always known. I'm never going to be able to replace him in your life, Lois. I'm not the right guy. I know that now. But I have to ask you something."

I almost didn't want to hear what he had to say but I couldn't help but prompt him. "What?"

He looked me square in the eye. "Will you ever be able to have a life with him? Will he be able to be there when Jason needs a father? Will he be there when you need a husband, a shoulder to cry on, and a support pillar when the storms rage unrelenting? I've given this a lot of thought, Lois. He can't always be there; you know that more than anyone else. He has a duty to protect the entire planet! Do you honestly think that he'll have time for you too?"

"Who do you think you are to judge someone you don't even know?" I demanded defensively.

Richard didn't back down. "Lois, I'm only worried about you!"

I faltered. I didn't know what to say. Would Superman ever have time for me? Richard had taken my biggest fear and thrown it unceremoniously into my face. I'd thought about this over and over again in my mind but it was almost too much to hear it from Richard. I felt like the world was crashing down from the thought. Standing up, I grabbed my purse and turned to leave. Richard stood, grabbed my arm, and spun me back to face him. We had drawn the attention of the rest of the restaurant.

"If you choose him, there will come a time when he won't be there. He'll abandon you just like he did five years ago."

That was the last straw. I drew back my hand and slapped Richard with all the force I had. He let go of me out of shock but I didn't stick around. The entire restaurant watched silently as I rushed out of the building. It wasn't until the doors had shut behind me and I was a block away that I began to cry. I walked for another two blocks before coming to a stop to fish out Clark's address from my purse. I was only a block away. Tears still pouring from my eyes, I found his apartment five minutes later and knocked on the door.

Clark opened it almost immediately. Before he could even register what was going on, I latched onto him and cried into his shoulder. I just needed someone to hold me, someone I could trust, someone who could make the pain go away.

"L-Lois?! What happened? Are you alright?"

I shook my head, crying even more. Clark shut the door. My arms wrapped even more firmly around him when he made to pull away. Couldn't he see that I needed a hug? Why couldn't the dumb farm boy be a man for once and comfort me? My tears turned from hurt to frustration. Gosh, I hated crying. Clark seemed frozen for another moment before reaching up and enveloping me into his arms.

"Shhh," he whispered softly, rubbing his hands up and down my back in soothing circles. "I'm right here, Lois. I'm not going anywhere."

That only made me cry even more. I buried my head into his chest, my tears soaking into his shirt. His hands had stopped moving but his arms didn't let go. I don't know how long we stayed like that. It took several minutes for me to stop sobbing so hard that my body shook involuntarily. Clark never moved. He listened to my small gasps and insistent sniffling without a word of complaint. As I reeled in my emotions, I became aware of how warm Clark was. His body heat was pleasant and oddly soothing. His arms were strong and, after a moment's realization, rather large.

I'd always known Clark was a big guy. He had been raised on a farm after all. He'd been hauling hay his whole life. That was sure to produce some kind of muscle. I guess I never noticed because he always wore slightly baggy suits and hunched his shoulders. Maybe he had really poor self esteem; people who did usually tended to hide themselves. As I stood in his protective arms, I realized I didn't want him to hide from me. I wanted to know everything about him. I'd neglected him ever since we'd first met. And here he was, babysitting my son, holding me in his arms, reassuring me that everything was going to be okay and I was crying over another man. I didn't deserve Clark either and yet I longed for him.

If I had been in any other mood I would have laughed. I wanted to be with Clark Kent. I never thought I'd ever see Clark as more than a fellow co-worker with a crush on me. Yet here I was, sobbing in his arms, wishing more than anything that I could stay there forever. I closed my eyes and put my forehead on his chest. Even from here I could hear his heartbeat. It was strong and steady, like a river. I felt I could travel down that river, unanchored, and never have the fear that any storm could sink me or send me adrift.

My breathing slowed as I listened intently to his heart, my troubles slowly floating away…

Clark was beside himself. He didn't know how long he should stand there with Lois in his arms. He'd tried to move away from her shortly after she'd latched onto him but she'd only tightened her hold so he decided it was best to just hold her as she cried. He had never heard her so broken. At that moment he would have given anything to take the sorrows burdened upon her shoulders. He didn't know what to do so he did the only thing he could think of: he allowed her to cry, holding her in silence. It appeared that he'd made the right choice. Lois' breathing slowly steadied until it became drawn out and deep. Clark went into slight shock. Lois had fallen asleep in his arms.

He began to panic. Should he wake her up? No; she'd been through enough and she was obviously exhausted. But if he didn't wake her then she'd have to spend the night here. Was that honestly so bad? …No… Clark sighed and looked down at the face of his beloved. Deciding that it wouldn't be good for her to sleep all night standing up, he kept his arms around her and began to hover several inches above the floor. Lois hardly stirred as he glided through the house into his bedroom. Slowly, he touched back down, picked Lois up, and laid her in his bed. She had a very firm grip on him; he had to be very careful so as not to break her fingers as he gently pried her arms from around his body.

She stayed asleep, probably due to emotional exhaustion, though her face displayed a look of displeasure from the sudden lack of his body heat; the sheets were cold. Clark gazed upon her for a full five minutes while a war raged within his mind. She's cold so maybe he could climb under the covers and warm up the bed. But that would definitely be improper because she's Richard's fiancée. However, she'd just been with Richard and had come to him in tears. Wasn't that enough to show she doesn't want to be with Richard? She came to _him_ to cry and obviously didn't want to leave his arms when he tried to let go. She did look uncomfortably cold. Besides, Jason was already asleep in the guest room and he had a couple hours before he needed to meet up with Batman. A couple of hours under the covers with a sleeping Lois wasn't wrong, surely?

Clark made up his mind. Pulling the blanket aside, he lowered himself onto the mattress, floating just enough over it that it wouldn't cause an indent and wake Lois. As if unconsciously drawn to the heat, she rolled over towards him and cuddled up into his side, her hand resting on his chest over his heart. Contentment crossed her features and she sighed peacefully in her sleep.

Clark watched her, his eyes taking in every inch of her beautiful face. Though it had been five years, she hadn't aged a day. Sure, her eyes were filled with more wisdom than he'd remembered but her features were just as smooth, just as rich, as they had been the day he'd first laid eyes on her. Her dark chocolate colored hair moved in waves over her neck and shoulders, the tint darker to Clark's eyes in the dark since there was no sunlight to enhance the small unnoticed hues of red only he could detect with his super vision.

Two hours seemed to fly by faster than Clark desired. In the entire time he spent lying next to Lois, neither had moved. He wished more than anything that they could continue to stay like this, not only now but forever. He had no idea how to make such a wish come true but oh, how he longed for it! He glanced at the clock. He had five minutes to get to the Daily Planet roof. Sighing, he gently lifted Lois's hand from his chest but before he placed it on the mattress, he took the liberty of kissing each one of her fingers. He also lightly kissed her forehead before leaving her side. Her body inched more to where his had been, soaking in the heat he'd left behind.

Clark smiled. "I'll be back," he whispered.

Five minutes later, Superman landed on the roof of the Daily Planet where Batman stood waiting for him. Under normal circumstances the two wouldn't embrace but seeing as they hadn't seen each other in five years, a bro-hug appeared appropriate. They stepped away after patting each other on the shoulder a couple of times.

"Don't expect one of those ever again," Batman muttered.

Superman smirked. "Unless either of us decides to leave for another five years."

Batman scowled. "Don't ever do that again. I tried so many times to convince you not to go but you went anyway."

"And it's the biggest mistake I've ever made," Superman sighed, leaning against the railing of the Planet's roof to look out over the city.

Batman joined him. "Did you find anything?"

"No," Superman sighed, "Nothing but a graveyard of Kryptonite. If I hadn't felt its effects in time to avoid it, I probably would have died. I'll have to remember the next time I space travel, I should do so in lead."

"Probably a good idea," Batman agreed. After a moment's pause, he broke the silence. "So, Jason?"

Superman sighed and ran a hand through his hair, turning his back on the city to lean against the banister with his back. "That's the biggest reason why leaving for Krypton was the stupidest thing I've ever done."

"I thought you told me you couldn't have children."

"I only said that because I thought it wasn't possible," Superman said facing his friend. "I had no idea Lois was pregnant when I left, Bruce. If I had any inkling that she was with child, I never would have abandoned her."

"I know. Am I to assume it all happened when you disappeared and Zod showed up?"

Superman nodded. "Yes."

"Well, you're in one heck of a mess, aren't you?"

"That's the understatement of the year."

"What are you going to do?"

Superman shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest idea."

"You can't expect to be with her without telling her the truth."

Superman tightened his jaw. First his son had given him relationship advice and now his best friend. It was maddening because he knew that both of them were right! "I know what I have to do it's just… I'm afraid. The last time Lois learned everything, she couldn't stand sharing me with the rest of the world. She was more miserable knowing everything than she had been when chasing after Superman in ignorance."

Batman stared at his friend with a calculating expression. "I guess there's only one option," he said at last.

"And what might that be?"

"You have to get Lois Lane to fall in love with Clark Kent," Batman revealed.

Superman couldn't help it; he let out a peel of hopeless laughter. "Yeah, right, Bruce. That's never going to happen."

"And why not?" Batman demanded feeling a little frustrated with his best friend. He could be so thick sometimes.

"Lois has never even made an effort to notice Clark Kent. Do you honestly think she'd fall in love with him when Superman is flying around? It would never happen in a million years."

"Maybe that's because you're not being aggressive enough as Clark Kent," Batman retorted sharply. "You're too timid, Clark. If you love Lois, and I know you do, you have to be willing to show her you do. And not as Superman but as Clark Kent."

"Clark Kent is supposed to be a bumbling, insecure reporter from the middle of nowhereville Kansas. He's supposed to blend in with the crowd, act like a klutz, and never appear on anyone's radar. If I began to be assertive, it would draw attention. I can't afford to take that risk."

"Then Lois Lane will never marry you," Batman said bluntly. "She'll really move on – if she hasn't already."

Superman stood frozen. Batman's words had stung and both of them knew it. The Dark Knight let out a heavy sigh and placed a hand on Superman's shoulder.

"Clark, at least try to be assertive. Give it a chance. See if anyone besides her notices. You won't know unless you try. Do you want to lose her before you've even truly fought for her?"

"Who would I be fighting against, Bruce?"

"Superman."

Superman shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "Who would have thought I'd have to fight for Lois with myself?! I'm my own worst enemy. If this isn't irony, I don't know what is."

Batman allowed himself to chuckle softly. "Welcome to relationships in heroism, Superman."

Superman looked up. "How are you fairing in that department, Mr. Playboy?"

Batman smirked. "I'm seeing someone who also happens to run around and save the day."

Superman raised an eyebrow. "Jason said there were others like us. I never would have thought there would be. And one of them is a woman and you're dating her?"

Batman shrugged. "She started it. We've been seeing each other for about a month now."

"What's her name?"

"Wonder Woman."

"I suppose it's not worth it to try to get her real name from you?"

"She's the type that I think would like to introduce herself in person," Batman answered. "That's one of the reasons I'm here. The other heroes have been bugging me to set up a place where they can meet you. You were the first one to come out in the open. You're kind of their icon, I guess."

"Great," Superman muttered, exasperated. "Please tell me they aren't groupies."

Batman snorted. "Not even close. They just want to meet you."

"I'd like to meet them," Clark admitted, "but I kind of have my hands full at the moment. There have been two strange fires in the past two days."

"The ones with the footprints under the window?"

"How did you know?"

"Because I'm Batman," he smirked.

Clark frowned. "Should have seen that one coming… whatever, anyway, I went back to check the crime scenes more exclusively and I got a sample of the ashes from the prints when Lois wasn't looking." He pulled a small bag out of his belt. "Can you analyze this for me?"

Batman took the bag and eyed the contents up close. "Shouldn't be too hard," he muttered. "I do have a pretty extensive amount of technology at my disposal. I'll run a few tests and see what comes up."

"Thanks," Superman said.

"When I get the results, I'll contact you," Batman assured as he made his way to the roof's edge. "It would also be a good time for you to meet the others."

"Fine with me," Superman responded with a nod.

"Take care of yourself, Clark."

"You too, Bruce."

The Dark Knight leapt off the balcony. Superman flew into the air just in time to see him swing behind a building a few blocks away. Turning his course towards his apartment, he kept his ear out for any cries for help. He did find that he had to prevent two muggings and a small convenience store robbery before he could return home. Other than that, the world was fairly peaceful.

Later, after changing out of the suit, he found both Lois and Jason sound asleep. Deciding to be a gentleman, Clark grabbed a blanket and pillow from the closet in the hallway before falling asleep on the couch.

**Enter the Dark Knight! Poor Clark; he really thinks Lois will never love him...good thing we know differently! :) Hope you enjoyed and remember, reviews are love! **


	7. Curious Exchanges

**A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! And for following my story! You all know how to make a fan-writer happy! :D As promised, the updates are no longer once a week because all of you are just that awesome! ****And if its not too much, please remember, reviews are love!**

**I hope you enjoy Curious Exchanges! There's a_ BIG_ discovery at the end! ;) **

07 Curious Exchanges

A blissful sigh escaped my lips as I stretched. For the first time in weeks I had slept soundly. Not wanting to open my eyes, I buried my face further into my pillow. The sweet scent that greeted my senses reminded me of cornfields, spices, and something else – something _wonderful._ I breathed in deeply once more, entertaining myself. My heartbeat quickened as the smells intoxicated me. It took a moment to realize that this wasn't my pillow; I didn't smell anything like this.

I opened my eyes. The bedroom was a decent size, a dresser sitting in the corner next to what I assumed was a bathroom, and a closet open near the only window. Several three piece suits hung in the closet along with a couple of plaid button up shirts. The realization hit: I was in _Clark's_ room.

Everything suddenly came crashing down as I remembered last night: the restaurant, Richard, crying all over Clark…_oh my gosh! Clark!_ I'd sobbed all over him! But how had I ended up in his bed? Had I fallen asleep in his arms? My cheeks flushed. I lay there in embarrassment. Not only had I cried all over him, I'd unintentionally spent the night! And I knew that Clark, ever a gentleman, would have taken the couch over sleeping next to me.

It was then a large surprise to find Clark opening the door to the bathroom wearing nothing but his glasses and a towel around his waist. I sucked in a breath, my eyes bugging out of my head. Of all things to expect of my co-worker, I wasn't imagining a 6'4 well toned physique that would make any male model cry in envy. Clark was cut and when I say cut I mean he was _cut._ My eyes swept from his beautiful biceps to his perfect six pack down to his well toned calves. Holy cow, I nearly swooned from the sight! The sweet scent I'd tasted from the pillow magnified tenfold from Clark's actual presence.

"L-Lois!" Clark gasped, taking a step back. "I didn't realize you were awake."

I stared at him dumbly. "Sorry," was all I could manage to say.

Clark hastily walked across the room, grabbed a blue flannel shirt from the closet and some blue jeans from his drawer before rushing back to the bathroom, muttering a constant stream of apologies. His cheeks were even flushed with a small dose of pink. Even after the door had been shut for several minutes I continued to stare at it with my mouth slightly open.

Clark Kent was undeniably the most attractive man I had ever laid eyes on. Why on Earth would he hide that gorgeous build behind those horrid suits? Did he go to the gym every day? He had to have been on a special diet or something, like an actor who's trying to fit into a certain role. How else could someone explain those muscles? But why would Clark bother to look like that if he hid it all the time?

I was still sitting in the same position Clark had left me when he emerged from the bathroom wearing the outfit he'd grabbed. I was shocked to see that it was form-fitting. In my entire time of knowing him, I couldn't remember a time where I'd seen Clark wear something that fit him. He looked breathtaking in jeans.

"Um, Lois? Are you alright?" Clark asked, staring at me.

I was sure I looked like an utter fool. Shaking my head, I said, "I'm fine, Clark."

Clark's eyes were filled with concern. "Are you sure? You didn't seem fine last night."

I swallowed, my cheeks burning. "Um, yeah, about that…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry all over you."

Clark came over and sat down on the bed next to me. Hesitantly, he placed one of his large, strong hands over one of my tiny frail ones. He was so close to me. His scent filled my nose and I nearly sighed in pleasure as I unconsciously leaned towards him.

"L-Lois?"

I blinked. We were only a foot apart. His eyes behind his thick frames seemed even bluer with that deep blue plaid shirt on. I felt like I was going to get lost in them. "Thank you for being there when I needed you, Clark," I whispered, my eyes bearing into his.

He smiled his slightly lopsided smile. A shiver ran down my spine. He squeezed my hand. "No problem, Lois. I told you I will always be here for you."

I smiled. "I know."

We stared at each other a moment more. I longed to close the distance between us but something held me back. Clark broke the spell by pulling his hand a way. The shivers down my spine stopped.

"Lois, if you don't mind me asking, what happened last night?" Clark asked timidly.

I sat back and ran my hands through my hair, sighing deeply. "It's really complicated," I muttered.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

As much as I wanted to say yes, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was scared and I had good reason to be. Why? Because I realized I was falling in love with my co-worker when I still had strong feelings for Superman. And Superman had been the reason I was crying all over Clark last night.

How could someone love two different people? I was digging myself into a hole. What astounded me was that I'd only been around Clark for about three months since his return and yet I was feeling drawn to him. He didn't have the same confidence Superman had but he had some kind of poise; I just hadn't ever noticed it before because Superman's was so much more pronounced than Clark's. In all honesty, I found Clark's quiet confidence rather charming. In a way, I was more drawn to it that to Superman.

I looked Clark in the eye. Holy moley he was gorgeous. I realized he was still waiting for an answer. I shook my head but not unkindly. "I'd rather not talk about it right now. But, if it's okay, can I get a rain check on this conversation?"

Clark's eyebrows rose towards his hairline. "S-Sure," he replied, surprised.

I smiled. "Thanks again, Clark. After I have everything sorted out I'd love to have someone to confide in."

He smiled warmly at me. "I'll be your listening ear any time, Lois."

I stared at him a moment more, my heartbeat picking up. I was leaning closer to him. I longed to caress his lips with my own. My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. Clark's bewilderment was plain on his face but he remained as still as a statue. I closed the gap and my mouth connected with his. A jolt of electricity shot through my whole body but it wasn't a terrifying jolt; it was a strange thrill that resonated with every desire my body craved to satisfy.

I kissed Clark gently, kindly, and curiously. The farm boy remained motionless for a moment but then he kissed me back. He wasn't fierce but I could feel his need and his caution. He was just as curious about this exchange as I was and he was treating it with tenderness. How strange it was that all these emotions crashed through both of us in a kiss that lasted only two seconds. We pulled away at the same time, slowly, cautiously, our eyes searching each other.

So many unspoken questions seemed to lurk in Clark's eyes. I'm sure he could see a fair share in mine; questions I longed to ask that would help me solve his mysteries. What was the secret life of Clark Kent? I longed to know.

We stared at each other, feeling the emotions swirling around us for what felt like hours. It was like we were in some kind of spell. Obviously both of us had felt the burning passion from the kiss but neither of us was willing to satisfy it again. Call it caution, call it maturity, call it whatever you wanted. I'm going to say the reason why we didn't kiss again was because this was a _Moment_, a moment neither one of us imagined but one neither of us wanted to forget. It was something special; something unique.

A small knock on the door shattered the spell. The door opened and there stood Jason, his hair rumpled from sleep, his eyes bright with curiosity and life. "Mommy?"

Clark stood up and the Moment was gone. I stared after him, a strange longing in my heart causing me to want to cry out for him to come back. I held my tongue and instead watched Clark pick Jason up with fatherly affection.

"Morning, Jason," Clark said.

"Morning Mr. Clark," Jason replied with a grin. "I guess Mommy and I slept over, huh?"

"That you did," Clark replied happily. "It's a good thing it's a Saturday."

"Morning cartoons!" Jason cried. "Come on, Mr. Clark! We're missing them!"

Clark chuckled as he set the boy down. Jason yanked on his arm, trying to drag him from the room. Clark turned around to look at me. A spark rushed between us. My cheeks were on fire but my eyes were bright. I smiled hesitantly. Clark smiled back, though his seemed really unsure.

"How about I make breakfast while you watch cartoons, Jason?" he said still looking at me.

"Okay," Jason said, completely oblivious to the unique chemistry filtering through the air. He rushed down the hall, his little feet pitter-pattering with every step.

Clark stood in the doorway with that same hesitant smile. "Um, if you want, you can take a shower, Lois. There's a spare set of towels in the cupboard and you can borrow some of my clothes if you'd rather not be in that dress. Not that it's a bad dress, it's actually rather lovely, but if you want to wear something else, know that there's an option."

His voice sped up with every sentence. I found it rather endearing. Smiling warmly at him and his insecurity, I got out of bed. "Thank you, Clark. I'd love a shower. Do you want any help with breakfast?"

Clark shook his head. "That's not necessary, Lois. You just relax and get yourself ready for the day. Last night was rough. You should take it easy this weekend."

His consideration warmed my heart. "Thanks," I replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Don't mention it."

We stared at each other for another moment and that strange electric tingle started dancing along my spine again. Clark looked at me curiously one more time before nodding slightly. "I'd better get started on those pancakes."

"Right," I said, the current electricity being replaced immediately with uncertainties.

Clark left the room, shutting the door behind him. My heart beat loudly in my ears long after he'd left, my lips tingling with pleasure. I bit down on them softly before heading into Clark's bathroom for a much needed shower. The enclosed room was permeated with his scent. My body leapt into tingles, my thoughts returning to that beautiful, chaste kiss.

I glanced in the mirror and found a most curious sight. My eyes were bright, the hazel hue sparkling in my reflection. My cheeks were flushed in a pleasurable way and a small smile seemed plastered to my face. A wave of giddiness caused a small fit of giggles to escape my mouth. Smiling even more widely, I slipped into the shower's warm water and closed my eyes.

Clark Kent was definitely something else. Not even the Man of Steel had made me feel this way.

At that thought, I felt a small jolt of guilt. I was still very much infatuated with Superman but I couldn't deny the growing fondness in my heart for Clark. It wasn't fair to chase after them both. Richard broke everything off with me because he thought I'd rush back into Superman's arms and originally I would have if Clark hadn't come into the picture. When had he slipped into my heart? It had only been a few months since his return to the Daily Planet. How on earth could anyone fall for someone like I had in such a short time?! Was I completely shallow or what? I didn't know a thing about Clark. I didn't know much about Superman either. How could it be possible for both men to tug at my heartstrings when I knew so little about them?

I mused under the warmth of the water as it cascaded from my hair down my spine. The only way for me to truly decide on who I was going to choose depended upon me learning as much as possible about either of them. The only way I could learn about Superman was from his journal and from the brief meetings I would continue to have with him for interviews. Clark, well, he was a different story. I'd see him every day, unlike Superman. We were working on a story together at the moment. Just like old times. It wouldn't be hard to ask him questions as we worked surely?

I mulled it over before drawing the conclusion that my plan was a just one. The only thing I had to worry about now was keeping my romantic tendencies to myself. It wouldn't be fair to become romantically involved with either man. That was going to be the hardest part of all, however.

And if I was honest with myself, it was going to be harder keeping myself in check with Clark than it was with Superman.

A week had passed since I'd kissed Clark. Nothing romantic had happened between us since then but I couldn't deny that on more than one occasion we would catch each other's eye in the office and look away blushing. The story Perry assigned us on concerning the fires seemed to have run dry too so we weren't doing that much work together. Perry had us put the article on the back burner and instead flung stories at us to chase individually. Whenever I would see Clark, he would be immersed in his work or engaged with other co-workers.

It was odd watching him from a distance. I noticed little things I'd been ignorant of before. What I had mistaken for a bumbling klutz was actually a genuinely kind man who sought to help others in a quiet way. Several times I would catch him helping an intern with a particularly rough time by pointing out a few sources to try. He also helped the janitor pick up trash that others had blatantly thrown on the floor. He would let people take the last bit of coffee and make a new pot only to allow others to have some before getting the remains himself. He would go out of his way to compliment the photographers on their pictures and reporters on their articles. He'd even give tips when asked.

Then there were the disappearances. I'd always passed it off that Clark would disappear because he got lost around the office but after watching him so closely I knew better. He knew the bullpen like the back of his hand. Maybe he just liked to disappear for so long so often to clear his head? Maybe it helped him write better? He'd always return and sit down to his computer and type without any need to pause. It was like he had the whole article already written in his brain and just had to type it up. I envied him for that. It took me twice as long to finish my articles. Lately it took longer because my thoughts would drift so much towards the desk across from mine. I was grateful there was a large walkway between us and that my desk wasn't facing his. If it were, there was no way I'd be able to focus on my work.

I sighed heavily as I finished off my latest piece; it was a story about Superman, of course. Lately those were the only stories Perry wanted me to write. The Man of Steel had been seen all over the place, saving people from any kind of dangerous situation. Today's article was based off a rescue he made at an elementary school where some angry parent had entered the grounds with a bomb, threatening to kill everyone just because one of the teachers gave his son a failing grade. Superman arrived, ripped the bomb off the man, and flew with it into the air high enough where it wouldn't hurt anyone when it exploded.

I'd left the roof with him a couple hours ago. He'd seemed rather frustrated that someone would go to such lengths over something so trivial. I hadn't seen him display such emotion over a rescue before. It was strange seeing him in such a way; he seemed more…_human_… like he dropped down the wall he usually had between us. Reflecting on that, I suppose he'd been doing that a lot more lately, complaining to me about certain things he'd previously kept to himself. Honestly, I secretly liked being the person he confided in, especially since I'd almost finished reading his journal. I had one more entry left and I planned on sneaking up to the roof to read it during my lunch break in ten minutes.

The previous entries I'd read mostly consisted of his longing for normalcy. He sounded so alone. I thought back to entry number seven again, his words running over and over through my mind:

_I wish I could be like them, like human beings. Every time I save someone I witness a spectacle I feel I'll never really have; a mother hugging her child, a father reassuring his family, a husband tenderly holding the hand of his wife, and lovers caressing each other like there is nothing safer than being in each other's arms. I have my earth mother but even she can't be there for me all the time. We live in different states after all. Sure I can fly home to her but because we live in such a small town, I can't be seen as Superman flying frequently to her location. People would suspect and if they look more closely, my enemies could even find out who she really is. My mother is all I have left. I can't jeopardize her well being. The thought has passed through my mind several times to take a plane home every weekend to visit her but my current salary isn't enough to do such a thing. Not to mention I hate planes. I feel so confined in them. I have no control. I don't like feeling helpless because then I feel as if I'm useless. My entire purpose here on this planet is to help people. If I can't do that, what's the point? _

There was one happy entry amidst the lonely ones. It spoke of Batman.

_I ventured into Gotham today to save someone but arrived only to find someone had already done the job. That's when I met Batman. He's rougher around the edges than I am and his methods are different but our goal is the same. He wants to clean up the streets of Gotham and I support him wholeheartedly. I've even helped him out on a few occasions. He's joined me on a few cases as well. I can't even begin to say how happy I was when I met Batman. He may not have any super powers like me but he's the first person I've met who has decided to dawn a cape and fight crime. I feel like I can relate to him. I'd never openly tell him this but he's a great pillar of strength and a powerful motivator when I just want to give up. It's nice to have someone to talk to and relate with. He's the first friend I've had outside my hometown who knows everything about me and understands exactly what I'm going through. For the first time since coming to Metropolis and becoming Superman, I don't feel alone anymore. _

I have to admit when I read that entry, I was hurt. I knew it was stupid to feel that way but I couldn't help myself. The last part was the worst since Superman apparently had confided in Batman everything that I had longed to know. Why hadn't he trusted me? I'd been toying with the idea of confronting him about it but I'd held my tongue; I decided that all my questions could be asked after I'd finished reading the entries. That way, I could know everything that he'd left for me to read and then maybe we could talk - even though I didn't know what to expect from it.

I wasn't even sure if I wanted to try to have a relationship with him. A year ago I would have thought it absurd to think that way but that was before a certain tall, blue-eyed, and handsome farm boy stepped into the lime light. And once again, my thoughts were back on Clark Kent. I chanced a glance in his direction. He wasn't in his chair. My shoulders slumped a little in disappointment as my eyes wandered to the television nearest to my desk. Superman was making another daring rescue, saving a sinking ship. Chief was sure to have me hounding him for the story the second the save was complete. Sure enough, Perry appeared at my desk.

"Lane, make sure to get that story before anyone else," he said, leaning against my desk.

I sighed. "I will, Chief."

He stared at me. "Lane?"

I blinked. His tone was softer than normal. I looked up at him. He gestured to his office. With another sigh, I got up from my desk and followed him. "What's up, Chief?" I asked after the door closed.

"I was just about to ask you the same question," Perry muttered, leaning back in his chair, observing me with fatherly concern. "What's going on?"

I sighed again, looking out the office window. Clark's desk was still empty. Perry followed my gaze. If he knew what I was looking at, he didn't comment.

"Richard's been trying to get me to talk to you," he said, prompting me out of my thoughts.

"Is he now?" I asked with a frown. "Perry, no offense, but I don't want to talk to him."

"That's what I told him. It's not really a secret what happened in that restaurant a week ago," Perry revealed. "Lombard was there with his girlfriend. You two made quite the scene. Word is you were fighting over Superman."

I blushed in anger. "He had no right to listen in," I snapped.

Perry's eyebrows rose. "You can't blame the guy. You two weren't exactly being discreet."

I blew a long breath out of my nose. "If Richard wasn't being such an idiot, there wouldn't have been a need to be discreet, Perry!"

"Lois, he only wants to make sure you and Jason are taken care of. Despite all that's happened he still cares about both of you, particularly Jason. He did raise him as his own. He's practically his father."

"Yeah, some father," I snapped. "He up and left us, Perry! The moment he learned that Jason wasn't really his son, he packed his bags and left us high and dry."

"And Superman didn't?"

That stung. I glared at Perry angrily. "He didn't know Jason was his until recently," I said in a small voice.

"And has anything changed?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Perry, he's Superman! I can't expect too much of him. However, I can say that he visits Jason every night and reads to him before he goes to sleep."

"And is that enough?"

I bit my lip, looking away. From that both of us knew the answer. No, it wasn't enough. Jason couldn't just have a father who appeared at night only to spend an hour with him. He needed someone he could look to, someone who was always there, someone dependable…_dependable_…

Clark was always there when Jason needed someone. In fact, Jason spent more time at Clark's desk than mine these days. I always saw the two of them sitting together. When Jason needed help with his homework, he'd bother Clark. Clark would immediately drop everything and give Jason his full attention. He wouldn't give him the answer to his problems either but prompt him on how to solve them. And when Jason was done with his homework, he'd sit at Clark's desk and draw, pulling the reporter away from his work to show him what he'd made. Clark would always compliment and encourage him.

Clark was the father Jason needed. He was also the father that I wanted. But so was Superman. Clark was the one who could be there for Jason to help shape him into a good man while Superman would guide him with his developing powers and show him what to use them for. The problem was I not only needed but wanted both men to be there for Jason but I couldn't live with only one of them. Things would be a lot less complicated if they were the same person.

I'd had this thought for several days now. I knew Superman had a secret identity; I guessed that much from his entries. How I wished it were Clark! But I couldn't see it. They were both so different. And yet my heart longed for them to be one in the same.

"Lois?"

I left my thoughts and returned to Perry's office but my eyes were fixed on Clark's desk. My heart leapt when I realized that in the short time I'd spaced out, he had returned. His back was to me; his shoulders slouched ever so slightly, his fingers drumming rapidly on his keyboard.

Perry followed my gaze again and his eyes widened. I wasn't hiding myself very well. How could I have? Perry was practically my father! He knew everything about me, even my deepest secret of being a hopeless romantic. Just like him, I was chiseled on the outside but soft as a marshmallow on the inside. I sighed deeply as I forced myself to look away from Clark, instead focusing on my hands because I knew that if I looked Perry in the eye, there would be no hiding the attraction I felt for my co-worker.

"So Superman wasn't the only reason things turned rocky between you and my nephew," Perry muttered, sitting down in his chair.

I shook my head. "You're wrong, Perry. Originally he was. But things have gotten a little…complicated," I mumbled, fiddling with my hands, still unable to look up.

"Lois," Perry called gently, kindly.

I looked up and was surprised to find him smiling. It was a smile of approval. That was surprising. "Why are you grinning, Chief?" I asked, feeling for some reason like I needed to be defensive.

Perry first began to chuckle and then he broke into full out laughter. I was rather peeved as I sat in the chair opposite to him, my arms crossed over my chest, while a frown plagued my lips. I even drummed my fingers a few times over my arm before Perry finally settled down.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "It's just that I've waited years for this!"

I cocked an eyebrow. "Years for what?"

Perry gestured towards Clark. I looked to where he had jabbed his thumb and felt my face turn beet red. My heart raced and I felt myself wanting to sink through the floor. "Shut up, Perry."

Perry continued to hold his smile. "Lois, I've seen this coming for years. I even bided on it."

"You placed a bet?!" I gasped, appalled.

Perry shrugged. "Sure, with Norm Palmer. Too bad the bloke died. I would have scored five hundred dollars."

My mouth dropped open. "I can't believe you," I whispered, outraged as well as embarrassed.

Perry only laughed. "All I can say is it's about time, Lois."

"Perry, nothing's going on," I stated, my heart aching a little with the spoken realization.

Perry raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"It's complicated," I muttered again, looking at the framed picture behind his desk of Superman. My eyes filled with sadness.

Again, Perry noticed my gaze and the grin slid from his face. "You have feelings for both of them."

It wasn't a question but I nodded anyway. "Yes."

Perry leaned back in his chair. "I see why you've been out of sorts for the past week now. How long have you had feelings for Clark?" He gestured once more to Clark's desk but when I glanced out the window, he was gone again.

Wondering where he could have possibly run off to, I shook my head. "I'm not sure, to be honest, Perry. I became aware of my feelings for him about a week ago but I've had time to reflect and I think he started to warm up to me just before he left to go soul searching. It's strange. It's like the feelings I have for him just exploded overnight or something. I only thought this kind of thing happened in movies not real life."

Perry shrugged. "There isn't a set way of falling in love, Lois. You seem to be the type of person who falls head over heels rather quickly. You fell for Superman right after he rescued you."

"I didn't fall for Richard that fast," I observed.

"That's because your heart was already set on the Man of Steel."

"But Clark came back before Superman and I still had feelings for Superman before Clark."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Perry only shrugged again. "Maybe Clark is the only normal guy who can fit your missing puzzle piece, Lois."

I looked at Clark's empty desk and then up at the picture of Superman. "What if I have two missing puzzle pieces?" I whispered, my heart aching again at the thought of falling in love with two different people.

Perry smiled sadly. "I think that there's really only one piece, Lois, but you're the one who chooses how to shape it so it fits. Superman sired your child but can he be Jason's _father?_"

"I don't know," I admitted. "In some ways, I can see him being perfect for Jason. But in the overall picture I can see Clark."

Perry smiled. "I think we both know who your heart has already picked."

I frowned. "It's not that simple, Perry! There are certain things that Clark would never be able to help Jason with. Only Superman could."

Perry shrugged. "Then give him visitation rights."

I shook my head. "If Clark can't have Jason one hundred percent, I don't want to burden him with having to share him with Superman. It wouldn't be fair to him."

"Have you even bothered to ask him?"

"No! I'd have to tell him who Jason's real father is!"

"Lois, if you want to be with Clark, he's got to know that."

I bit my lip and looked away. "I can't put that on him."

"Then you'll never be able to be with him."

My stomach clenched. I wanted to cry. "Perry," I gasped, fighting back tears, "I can't tell him."

"Why not?" Perry asked, slightly frustrated.

I stood up and ran my hands through my hair, causing my curls to fly even more wildly around my face. I walked over to the window and put my hand against it, looking out over Metropolis. The words were stuck in my throat. I was afraid to say them aloud. What if they came back to haunt me? I don't think I could live with that.

Perry had stood up and wandered to my side. He placed an encouraging hand on my shoulder. "Lois, why couldn't you tell him?"

Choking back a sob, I twisted around to face my Editor in Chief. "I'm afraid," I admitted. "I'm afraid that if I say anything, he'll leave me. He'll leave just like Richard did. And this time it would be so much worse, Perry! It'll be worse because, unlike Richard, I have ridiculously deep feelings for him. If he left, I'd break. I can't handle this." My heart beat quickened as the tears rolled down my face. "I wish he and Superman never existed. My life would be a lot easier if both of them weren't a part of it."

Superman was on his way back from stopping a twenty car pileup in Maine when he picked up on Lois's heartbeat. It had quickened considerably. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop on her conversation with Perry but when he had heard her specifically say Superman, he couldn't tune out. He had to leave to take care of the accident when Perry was exclaiming joy over winning a bet he'd made years ago. Having to focus on the accident when he arrived, he'd tuned out Perry and Lois. Fixing the cars in minutes, Superman had rushed back to Metropolis tuning back in only to hear Lois whisper in a choked sob, "I wish he and Superman never existed. My life would be a lot easier if both of them weren't a part of it."

Shock caused him to stop in midflight. The sudden change of pace shook him but it was nothing compared to the hurt he felt. Lois had confessed what he had never wanted to hear. She wanted him out of her life. And it appeared she wanted Richard gone too, from the sound of things. The latter would have made sense since Lois had returned to his apartment crying her eyes out into his shoulder. But what had Superman done to make her long for him to be gone?

_She never wanted me to come back,_ he thought to himself. _She's been struggling with her feelings for me since I've returned. She hasn't shown me any affection only tolerance. She's allowed me to visit with Jason but I haven't received any hint that she wants me to fill the space Richard left._

The fact that she'd kissed him as Clark wasn't even considered since he wrote it off as a kiss of thanks for his kindness. She was just being nice to him. If she had any romantic feelings, she would have kissed him a lot more passionately. But the kiss had been simple, small, and short; like a friend kiss. From that conclusion, Clark felt he never had a chance with her, no matter what Bruce thought he should do. Clark Kent would always be a friend to Lois Lane and nothing more. His one shot had been Superman but it was obvious from her words that she didn't want anything to do with him. She didn't care for either Clark or Superman.

Tuning out the rest of the conversation, Superman rocketed towards space, his heart breaking as he let a few tears fall from his eyes where nobody would be able to see his sorrow.

Perry held me tightly to him, stroking my hair. "We both know that's not true."

"I hate having feelings," I muttered bitterly.

Perry chuckled. "This is also part of love, Lois."

"Then I hate love."

Perry laughed. "If you did, you wouldn't be feeling this way."

"Shut up, Perry," I muttered, but there was a ghost of a smile with my words.

"I think the best thing to do is to show Clark that you have feelings for him too. Remember, guys are stupid so you need to be forward with him. None of this ridiculous hinting crap that you women usually torture us men with."

"What, do you want me to bring him flowers?" I joked.

Perry rolled his eyes. "No, that would be hinting. You need to tell him outright that you have feelings for him."

I flushed. "That's too forward! Where's the romance in that?"

Perry raised his eyes again. "Fine, unleash the romantic. But know that there's a high likelihood that nothing will really change if you do it that way."

I scowled. "You can't know that."

Perry shrugged. "What are you going to do about Superman?"

I sighed. "I have no idea."

Perry looked at me for a long, hard moment. "Lois, take the rest of the day off to sort out your feelings."

"What? But Chief!"

"No buts, Lane! And don't call me Chief! You're taking the rest of the day off. Go soak in a sauna or a good long shower and mull things over."

"I can't do that! I have to pick up Jason."

"I'll pick him up. He can stay at my place until you get your head screwed on straight."

I opened my mouth to argue but Perry stomped his foot. "Lois, until you get your heart settled, your writing is going to suffer and I can't afford it jeopardizing my paper! I need you writing Superman articles and I can't have you in an emotional upheaval with him during interviews. I don't want to see your face until you've made a choice. Now get out of my office!"

Angry, frustrated, but mostly wounded in my pride, I stormed from his office, gathered my things, and left. I chanced another look at Clark's desk but he wasn't there. _Great, I can't even see him before I leave_, I thought bitterly. This was the pits.

I called Jason's school while in the elevator, heading down to the parking garage. I let them know that Perry was going to pick him up; they would recognize him since in the past Perry had often run to get him when neither Richard nor I had been available. After the call, I threw the phone in my purse, got in my car, and drove back to my rundown apartment. I was under the hot water of my shower in twenty minutes, my mind reeling.

Superman or Clark?

Clark or Superman?

I stayed in the shower until the water ran cold. I still didn't know who to choose. Frustrated and angry with Perry for putting me in such a ridiculous position, I dried myself off, put on a nightgown, and flopped down on my bed. Something hit my hand. Startled, I looked over to find Superman's journal slightly sticking out of my purse.

I still hadn't read the last entry. Maybe it would help me decide. Flipping to the page, I began to read.

_The past week has been the best and worst of my life. I told Lois. I told her everything._

My eyes widened and my heartbeat quickened. Told me everything? What did that entail?

_I told her who I really am. Well, more of she figured it out after discovering my invulnerability. I couldn't hide myself anymore from her so I revealed my deepest secret. I've been longing to tell her for a while now but the opportunity never seemed right. Not to mention, she could fall into grave danger if anyone found out how I feel about her. But she'd figured out the truth on her own and I couldn't bring myself to lie to her. _

_It was almost a relief when I confirmed her suspicions. I felt like I would shoot through the roof when she confessed that she was in love with me. I took her to the Fortress, unable to resist sharing every part of myself with her. I wanted her to understand my world. More than anything, I wanted her to be part of my life. I loved her, she loved me. It only seemed fitting to be with her. However, after discussing my feelings to my Kryptonian mother, Lara, I was told that in order for me to be with Lois, I had to give up my powers. I had to become a human. _

_Well, that decision wasn't hard. I didn't even have to think about it. I'd always wanted to be normal and I knew that I loved Lois more than life itself. Without hesitation I gave everything up. I turned my back on my parents wish and forfeited my abilities so I could be with the woman I loved and live a normal life like everyone else._

_We made love and it was the most glorious experience I've ever had, one I will cherish forever._

_Unfortunately, at the same time I decided to give up being Superman, General Zod and his followers appeared and began terrorizing the people of Earth. We found out what was going on after leaving the fortress and reaching a small village. I realized I made a grave mistake. So many people had already died by their hand and the world was crying out for Superman's help. _

_Lois didn't stop me from trying to go back to the fortress to beg my parents for my powers back. In fact, she supported it. She returned to Metropolis on her own. My parents forgave my selfishness, restored my abilities, and I was able to stop Zod. Unfortunately, Lex Luthor had made a deal with him to lure me out by endangering Lois. After saving her from Zod, I concluded that if she were to remain with me, she would always have the potential of being in danger. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if she died because of me. _

_A week after Zod had been put away Lois broke down at the office. She confessed that she couldn't handle sharing me with the rest of the world. She didn't think she would be able to deal with knowing who I really am and having to keep it a secret. She loved me, that was obvious, but the pain my secret was causing weighed heavily over her heart. _

_I didn't know what else to do. I kissed her and in that kiss, something happened. I can't even explain how I did it but I wiped her memories completely of the past week. When she came to she didn't know my secret and she was back to fantasizing about Superman. _

_I, however, remembered everything. And with every passing day, the memories haunted me. It was maddening being in her presence, knowing that we had made love, and not being able to touch her the way I wanted to. I couldn't even kiss her. Again, I was alone and my heart practically bled from the thought. The loneliness I felt was a hundred times worse than before. I lasted two weeks. It helped that scientists discovered what they thought was Krypton. It was the perfect excuse to leave, to run. _

_Lois, I'm leaving this journal to you. I know I'm being a coward but I don't think I can physically say goodbye. One would think it would be easy. It's one simple word. But if I face you, I'll break. Most likely you will demand an explanation. I'd have to confess the truth all over again and I can't afford to do that to you. You were so miserable the first time and I endangered your life just by knowing you. I can only hope that you can forgive me for leaving. _

_I may be turning my back on mankind but there's a possibility that Krypton still exists. My people could still be there. If they are, I'll finally have somewhere I belong. I'll finally fit in. Maybe I'll even meet someone that I won't end up constantly hurting. I'm sure there is a man, a normal human man, capable of filling your heart in a way I never will be able to. Since I may never return, I want to tell you one last time who I really am only because I'm selfish and I want you to know. _

_I've been close to you for years, Lois. Closer than you think. You'll probably hate me forever, curse me for hiding it from you and for taking the information away from you, but you need to know. You deserve to know. My secret identity is…_

I flipped the page and felt my heart sink. The name was written on the first page that had been damaged in the fire. The burn mark completely covered the name in black. The only thing discernible on the page were these last words:

_Goodbye, Lois. Despite everything, I am and always will be forever yours and yours alone._

I sat in silence for a whole minute before exploding. "You have got to be kidding me!" I shouted angrily, tossing the book away.

Tears flowed down my cheeks. Oh, I was _mad!_ Everything made so much sense now! That son of a gun stole my memories! No wonder I couldn't remember how on Earth Jason had been conceived! We'd made love and he hadn't even bothered to leave me with that treasured memory! How could he?! And I'd found out on my own who he was! How stupid could I possibly be? He'd said he was closer than I thought.

I paused, forcing my anger away so I could think straight; it was a hard thing to do but after a few deep controlled breaths I managed to do it. I thought about everything I'd read. He was close enough to me to always be there to save me when I needed saving. Who could be that close to me all the time?

After several minutes pause, my mind listed off the only people who would have been constant in my life five years ago. The list was remarkably short. And as I thought about each person, there was only one man who even came close to fitting Superman's look and build.

Could I really have been so stupid?

Clark.

Clark Kent.

The more I thought, the more of a confirmation I received. Superman was Clark. Clark was Superman. They were the same person! Everything suddenly clicked into place! Clark's strange disappearances; his fast typing; his love for me; his sexy blue eyes; his toned physique! He was Superman! How on earth had I never noticed before?!

Well, according to the journal, I had noticed. I had been suspicious and I'd proved my suspicions by doing something that drove him to show me his invulnerability. What had I done? I wondered. It wasn't too important now. I'd figured it out all over again. Then I remembered that he'd left that journal behind so I would figure it out! He probably forgot he'd given it to me. But he had a perfect memory! He would have remembered. Maybe because I didn't act like someone who would have acted by knowing who he was when he returned, he figured I never found out? Maybe he put the package in the basement with the intention of it being a possibility that it would find me? Whatever the case, it was obvious that I hadn't known who he was when he returned. No wonder Clark had seemed so edgy when he first saw me. He thought I would remember who he was! And he only came back to find me with Richard!

That must have been a terrible wake up call. And to think, I felt guilty for making him feel that way! Shouldn't it be the other way around?! Shouldn't he be feeling guilty for leaving _me_?

Then I realized he _had_ from the way he'd tried to patch things up after returning and ruining my relationship with Richard. As Superman, he came to visit us every night. As Clark, he did his best to show me that he not only cared about me but Jason while at work. He really was always around.

Then I remembered how lonely he was in all his journal entries. His loneliness after erasing my memories drove him away. My infatuation with nothing but Superman had caused his greatest heartache. In that moment, I realized that I would have done the same thing had I been him. I wouldn't have been able to live around Clark knowing everything and not being able to be with him.

Before, I'd only loved his mask. I'd chased after Superman when I was missing the main course. The secret life of Superman that I had longed to know I had completely ridiculed and rejected. I'd spurned Clark without even really getting to know him. Looking back, the strange thing was that in the two weeks before Clark left, I'd started to notice him. I'd become aware of him and even thought his stumbling and stutters were actually kind of cute. I couldn't figure out where those feelings had suddenly come from _then_ (I knew why _now_) but I'd written them off when he resigned to go "soul searching". Even as Clark, he didn't say goodbye to me. I remembered being happy that I didn't have to share my byline anymore. I hadn't given him a second thought after that; I was too busy thinking about Superman and _his_ disappearance.

What an idiot I had been.

But everything was different now! My feelings for Superman were there but they were nothing compared to what I felt for Clark Kent. I loved him. I loved Clark. I might not ever be able to be with Superman but as far as the world was concerned, Clark Kent was a normal man from Smallville, Kansas. He was as human as I was. I could be with Clark. I wanted to be with Clark. I _needed_ to be with Clark.

Leaping to my feet, I dressed at top speed. I wasn't thinking rationally but did anyone when they were in love? I had my mind on one goal and one goal alone. Find Clark and kiss him senseless. I needed to show him that I loved him not because he was Superman but because he was the man I adored and longed to be with. He'd filled the hole neither Richard nor Superman alone ever could.

I raced back to the Daily Planet. It was late. Would he be there? I hoped so. If he wasn't, I'd try his apartment next. If I had to, I'd wait outside his door until he came home. With that super hearing of his he was bound to hear me. I reached the Planet only to find it devoid of the man I longed to see. Turning on my heel without even bothering to answer the questioning looks of the skeleton crew, I got back to my car and raced over to his apartment.

My heart was beating a thousand times a minute. I pounded on the door. "Clark? Clark, are you there?" I called.

No answer. Maybe he's out saving someone? I mused. That was fine. I could wait. It was good practice anyway. If I was going to be with him – and I was no matter what – I'd have to get used to waiting for him. I slumped down in front of his door and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Half past two, I was still outside his door. Sometime after that, I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I fell asleep.


	8. Chasing Down the Distance

**AN: Wow, so many compliments on the last chapter! Thanks so much you guys! All of this love definitely helps spur me forward! Due to several people asking, I feel I need to clarify, yes I did change the update schedule. Instead of updating every seven days, I've decided to give you guys updates every five days because of popular demand. :) That five day schedule will only alter when I have to go out of town so therefore I'll either post before or after I get back from those trips (it all depends on how close the previous update was given). For example, I updated four days ago so technically I'd update tomorrow but because I'm going out of town, I'm being nice and updating today so you guys have something to look forward to this weekend! The next update should come next week on Wednesday where I'll resume the regular five day update schedule. Don't worry, I've got this whole story figured out so need to be concerned about writers block or anything! Thank you for your patience and I hope this all makes sense! **

**This chapter is probably one of my absolute favorites! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**And I definitely want to hear your thoughts at the end of this chapter please! Reviews are love! Now, enough of me. Enjoy! :)**

08 Chasing Down the Distance

"Miss? Miss!"

I woke with a start, looking around. A stooping old woman with a large red handbag stood before me, her presence permeating my nose with an odor that reminded me of cat litter and fish; a terrible combination. It took me a moment to realize why I was on the floor in the hallway of an apartment complex.

"Clark!" I gasped, standing up.

"Oh, you know Mr. Kent?" the woman asked curiously. "He's my neighbor."

"Did he come home at all?" I wondered aloud.

The woman shook her head. "If he had, he would have had to step right on top of you."

I furrowed my brow and opened my mouth to say he could have just flown through one of his windows but stopped myself. This woman didn't know Clark was Superman. "I guess you're right," I sighed, rubbing my leg that had fallen asleep from the weird angle it had been positioned in for so long. "What time is it?"

"Just past six."

"In the morning?"

"Yes. Have you been out here all night?"

I started to panic. Had he really stayed out all night? Had something bad happened to him? I bit my lip. Snatching up my purse, I ignored the old woman who was currently having a tirade about men and irresponsibility. I rushed back down to my car and headed towards the Daily Planet. I'm sure everyone would notice that I was wearing the same clothes I'd worn yesterday but I didn't really care. There were two other very important things on my mind. First was my son. Second was Clark. I needed to make sure that both of them were okay.

Ignoring the stares that met me in the elevator, I waited for the top floor before pushing my way out into the bullpen. Several reporters and photographers stared with wide eyes as I marched up the way towards Perry's office. I'm sure I looked a real mess. The Editor in Chief's door was shut but that didn't stop me from opening it without thought.

Perry looked up. "Lane! What's going on?"

I glanced at who he was talking to and froze. It was Richard. Tension crackled through the air immediately; I was surprised lightning didn't flash. "What is he doing here?" I demanded, looking at Perry.

"I have every right to visit with my Uncle, Lois," Richard replied coldly.

I slammed the door shut since we were making a scene. "You can visit him when he's on lunch, not when it's six thirty in the morning and he has a morning addition to put together."

"Lois, relax, the morning addition is already on its way out. I finished it at six," Perry said.

"Where's Jason?" I asked, changing the subject.

"He's fine," Perry assured. "Alice just called to tell me she's heading to take him to school."

I bit my lip, hiding my next question. There was no way I was going to ask Perry if he'd seen Clark when Richard was standing in the room. He seemed to sense my need to talk to him in private. Glancing at Richard, the younger man sighed. "I'll wait outside," he muttered, not meeting my eyes.

After the door shut and Richard was several paces away, I blurted out the question I'd been longing to ask. "Chief, have you seen Clark?"

The smile that split the man's face would have rivaled that of Batman's arch-nemesis the Joker. His eyes danced as he folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, looking smug. "So you made your choice."

I flushed bright red. "Perry, where is he? I went to his apartment at two in the morning and he wasn't there. He hasn't been working on a story or anything has he?"

Perry furrowed his brow and shook his head. "He hasn't been seen since yesterday afternoon. He called me this morning to ask if he could take some time out of the office so he could work on that fire story. He asked if he could go to Gotham."

"He never told me he'd gotten any leads," I muttered, confused and hurt. "Did you clear him to go?"

"Of course I did. He's chasing after a story."

"But he didn't come home last night," I pointed out. "You said he called you. When?"

"Just ten minutes ago."

I shook my head. "That doesn't make any sense. Clark hasn't been home at all. He would have had to walk over the top of me to get into his apartment. I fell asleep outside his door," I admitted, blushing furiously.

Perry frowned. "Maybe he'd already left for Gotham yesterday and couldn't call me until this morning."

"Clark wouldn't chase down a lead in a different city until he got permission to go, Chief. He's too honest to go behind your back."

"Well, if he didn't go home, then where do you think he went?" Perry wondered.

I didn't answer. Clark hadn't gone to Gotham; I was sure of it. There hadn't been any leads on the fire story for two weeks. I looked out into the bullpen and saw Superman on television helping lift a school bus off the bridge down town. He was still in Metropolis!

I leapt to my feet.

"Where are you going?" Perry shouted as I booked it out of his office.

"St. Charleston Bridge," I shouted back over my shoulder.

Perry must have thought I was chasing after the story on Superman because he didn't stop me. Little did he know it wasn't a story I was after.

Traffic was terrible. It didn't help at all that the weather decided to grace the city with rain. It was autumn. Wet leaves attached themselves to my windshield as the wind blew them through the cold storm. I reached the bridge in ten minutes. Superman was still there giving a statement to the officers. Besides the school bus, two cars had been crunched like accordions. However, their front doors looked to have been ripped off before impact. Superman must have saved the drivers before the crash had occurred.

The Man of Steel nodded as Officer Turpin and Maggie asked him a couple more questions. It was towards the end of their exchange that I tried to come forward with the other reporters who made it to the scene. Superman's eyes locked on mine and a cold shiver ran down my spine. It wasn't a shiver of pleasure but one of shock. His unearthly blue eyes were as cold as the weather surrounding us. Why was he looking at me like that? He turned his gaze away from me.

"Superman!" I called.

He didn't look back. Instead, he turned his back to me completely, walking away. Each step felt like a blow to my stomach. He was ignoring me. He was walking away! He was rejecting me. A sob escaped my throat. He seemed to stiffen for the briefest of moments and for a second I thought he'd heard me. But then he leapt into the air, rocketing off into the rain.

My heart broke.

Tears rolled down my face. "Come back," I whispered. "Please. Why did you fly away? What did I do? Why are you mad at me? Shouldn't I be the one mad at you?"

But I felt nothing but sorrow. My anger was gone. How could I be angry at him for stealing my memories when I had been the one who said I couldn't handle being in a relationship with him? He left because he couldn't bear to live with a Lois Lane who didn't love him completely like before. But things were different now! I wasn't so naïve. I wasn't going to be selfish and desire to have him all to myself. I was older, wiser, than before. I could handle sharing him.

So why was he mad at me?

I wandered back to his apartment, not caring about going into work, and stayed outside his door until I had to pick up Jason. He never came. His neighbor – Miss Jenkins – saw me there at his door step but didn't have the heart to ask me why I was back. People tend to be uncomfortable and unwilling to approach you when you're crying all over yourself.

I picked Jason up from school around four. He immediately latched onto me. "Where were you last night, Mommy? Why did I have to stay at Uncle Perry's? Superman didn't even come to visit but Daddy did. He seemed happy to see me but sad too. Mommy, why are you crying?"

I pulled over into an empty space and grabbed Jason, pulling him onto my lap. I held him tightly, like he was the only anchor I had left. As I cried and kissed his hair, I realized not only was Superman his father but so was Clark. A small sad laugh escaped me as every odd thing about Jason suddenly made sense. He was so much like Clark it hurt. But he was the only thing of Clark I had, the only thing I might ever get to have.

Jason waited patiently as I repeatedly kissed and hugged him. He was such a good boy. Other sons would have pushed their mother away from such affection but not my son. He was different from other boys. He was well beyond his years; something that I suspected was due to his half Kryptonian heritage. After ten minutes, I sat back and closed my eyes, holding him tightly, breathing deeply.

"Mommy?"

"I'm sorry, baby," I whispered, forcing myself to smile at him. "Mommy's having a bad day."

Jason reached up and kissed my cheek. "What can I do to make the pain go away?"

That caused another sob to choke its way through my mouth. His large blue eyes, filled with so much concern, were an exact replica of Clark's whenever he'd asked if he could help when I was stressed at work. I hugged him again.

"Oh, sweetie, if only you could make it go away," I muttered, kissing his hair.

Jason pushed away to look into my eyes. He seemed to be searching for something. "Maybe we could get a pizza and watch a movie? That always makes me feel better. And Superman will come over tonight. Maybe he can read a story to both of us!"

The smile I forced onto my face as the tears intensified felt like someone else's. Clark had clearly walked away from me without so much as a glance. Would he really come over tonight? I wasn't sure. But how else was I going to tie him down? I needed to talk to him! But I couldn't just walk up to Superman and kiss him; that would make it appear that I cared for the cape more than the man in the suit. No, it needed to be Clark who I kissed but how could I find him when he was clearly avoiding me?

Superman flew through the rain towards Gotham. He'd seen Lois on the bridge but he had already made up his mind never to contact her again as a press agent. He didn't want to face her as Clark Kent either; he wasn't sure he could handle being in the same room when he knew how she felt about Superman_. If she doesn't want me to exist, I'll simply stay out of her life,_ he thought, flying fast over patches of land. Even though it hurt him more than anything to stay away from her, it was what she wanted. He'd made her cry enough. He wasn't going to allow any more tears to fall from her eyes over him. If it came down to it, he'd leave the Planet and get a different job at another paper in Metropolis, even though he physically cringed over the idea of working for the Star.

Forcing Lois out of his thoughts, with great difficulty, Superman flew into Gotham City, rocketing through the air so fast nobody could see him. Bruce had called him saying he had a lead on the footprints as well as asking if he was available to meet the other heroes. They had gotten together that morning for breakfast and wondered if he wanted to join them for lunch. Apparently they got together for fun once a month on the weekend. Flying through the waterfall to the Bat Cave where the meeting was to be taking place, Superman pulled himself to a full stop, causing a rush of furious wind to whistle through the various caverns. The bats up above cried out in protest.

"Decided to make an entrance?" Batman joked looking up at him.

Superman shrugged. "Unintentionally," he admitted.

His eyes wandered from Batman to the heroes standing slightly behind him on the ground. Each was looking up at him with a mixture of hesitancy and respect. Lowering himself to their level, he approached Batman and shook hands.

"Glad you could make it," Batman muttered.

"I'm sorry for being late. I had to clear a bridge."

"Keep your ear out so we can all rush off to save people if needed," Batman joked.

Superman smiled. "I can do that. So, introductions?"

Everyone introduced themselves, including their secret identities. That surprised Superman at first but after Batman explained it was for the purpose of protection in times of trouble, he agreed to reveal himself. They were all rather surprised to find out that Superman was none other than Clark Kent, reporter of the Daily Planet. Green Lantern, or Hal Jordan, complimented him on his articles, saying they were some of the best he'd ever read. Flash, or Barry Allen, found it hilarious that he was a reporter, claiming it was the perfect cover for a hero. Superman found himself rather happy to share his secret with people who desired the same thing he did. As he looked upon all the heroes, he felt strange. It was a similar feeling to how he felt whenever he went to visit his mother in Smallville. As time went on, he figured it out. He felt like he was home.

"So, why did you leave for five years, Supes?" Flash asked before gobbling down two large sandwiches with breathtaking speed. He finished them in two seconds.

Superman contained his chuckle. The man was undoubtedly fast. "I heard a rumor that Krypton still existed."

"So you ditched Earth to go and find it?" Green Arrow prodded.

Superman nodded.

"Any luck?" asked Wonder Woman.

"Oh I found it alright," he muttered, stirring his potato salad with his fork. "All that was left of that place was a Kryptonite graveyard."

"That's the only stuff that can hurt you, right?" asked Martian Manhunter.

"Pretty much although magic packs a wallop too."

"So you found out there was nothing left and came back," Aquaman surmised. "Was it different from when you'd left?"

Superman let out a small chuckle. The others, with the exception of Batman, seemed taken aback to see him so relaxed. He wasn't too surprised; he'd always had the persona of being solemn on TV. "It was like stepping onto an alien planet," he confessed. "Technology was the biggest difference. It's still light years behind Kryptonian technology but for humans it's pretty impressive machinery." Batman's scowl only caused him to grin. "Don't take it personally, Bruce."

The others laughed lightly as they noticed their colleague's sour face. Wonder Woman leaned over and kissed Batman lightly on the cheek. Superman's lightheartedness dampened as he witnessed the affection. His thoughts drifted off to a lovely brunette in Metropolis. Without meaning to, he sighed aloud.

The others looked at him.

"What's up, Superman?" Green Lantern asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he muttered.

Batman watched him silently. So quiet that no one with normal hearing could catch, he whispered, "Blink twice if it's Lois?"

Superman did so. Batman's frown deepened. He stood up. "Superman, I think now's a good time to show you what I've analyzed."

"What? But lunch isn't even over," Flash complained.

"You can stay and finish up. We'll only be gone for a moment," Batman said.

Superman pushed his plate away. The others noticed he had hardly touched a thing.

"Maybe he doesn't like human food," Flash joked to Green Lantern while the latter swatted his arm.

Superman heard them but he was sure they forgot he could. Sighing again, he followed Batman up the stairs of the Bat Cave to where a large computer sat before a giant consol. Batman wheeled around and folded his arms.

"Clark, you look like someone who's barely keeping it together. What's going on?"

Superman sighed. "It's…complicated."

"You're entire love life has always been complicated," Batman said, not unkindly. "What's the latest?"

"I overheard Lois wishing I didn't even exist," he revealed.

"Superman or Clark Kent?"

"Superman."

"Fine, your objective was to get her to love Clark. How's that going?"

Superman leaned against the wall and shook his head. "It's not going to happen, Bruce. Just when I was about to try, Richard showed up. He's been back all week."

"Has she been with him? I thought you said they'd broken up."

"I thought they had. Remember when I babysat Jason? Lois showed up late that night in tears! She cried herself to sleep in my arms."

"That must have been uncomfortable," Batman smirked.

Superman blushed. "It wasn't so bad," he admitted. "But then the next morning…"

"What?"

Superman ran a hand through his hair. "She kissed me. She kissed me as Clark."

Batman stood straight. "Really? Then what's the problem?"

"It wasn't exactly a romantic kiss, Bruce," Superman replied bitterly. "It only lasted two seconds and it felt like one of those kinds of kisses that friends share to show their thanks."

Bruce frowned. "Clark, how did you feel when she kissed you?"

"Honestly? Shocked. I couldn't believe she would kiss me as Clark. I was hesitant in responding but she pulled away before I could do anything."

"What did she do after that?"

"Well, she looked…lost. She just kind of sat there, staring at me. I guess we were both in shock. Jason came in after that and we haven't really had a chance to be alone since then."

"Has she made any attempts to get you alone?"

Clark shook his head, dejected. "No and that's why I think it wasn't anything but an innocent kiss of thanks. She spent the next six days interviewing me as Superman. She wasn't as angry with me like in previous interviews but there was still a wall. Then, yesterday, I overheard her telling Perry that her life would be better if neither I nor Richard ever existed in it. She hasn't pursued Clark and she doesn't want anything to do with Superman. Bruce, I'm not going to fight to keep her. Lois isn't a woman you can chain down. If she doesn't want anything to do with me in either guise, I haven't got a prayer at winning her heart."

Batman sighed deeply. "As much as I want to tell you to suck it up and fight for her, I know I'd be wasting my breath. You're too old fashioned for your own good, Clark."

Superman smiled sadly. "I know."

"What are you going to do now?"

Shrugging, he looked through the cave wall out into the open forest surrounding it. "I asked Perry for a week to work out of the office under the pretense that I had a lead on a story here in Gotham."

"You lied to your boss," Batman chuckled.

"Clark Kent can lie just as much as the next man," Superman said. "Besides, I might have a lead since you did say you had that sample analyzed. If nothing comes of it, I'll take a few days to visit Smallville."

"I've never been there," Batman mused as he switched on his computer. "Heard there are lots of cows, though."

Superman smiled. "There are other things there besides cows, Bruce."

"Ahhh yes, we can't forget the corn," Batman mocked in good humor.

Superman rolled his eyes.

The screen flickered to life and Batman pulled up a file. "It appears after several different tests that the ashes you collected contained 98% normal human elements and 2% unknown."

Superman stepped closer to the screen and asked, "What do you think that means?"

"It means we're dealing with something that isn't from Earth," Batman revealed. "You said the apartments were places you and Lois used to live in five years ago, right?"

"Yes. Lois suspects that someone is targeting us."

"I think she's right to a point. Her apartment is famous as the first place you ever interviewed as Superman but your own apartment under the name Clark Kent gives me cause to worry. I don't think whoever is behind the fires is after Lois."

"You think they're after me?"

Batman nodded. "And the most disturbing thing about all of this is that if that's true, they know who you are in both guises."

Superman's face hardened.

"Clark, can you think of anyone from outer space that holds a grudge against you?"

Superman shook his head. "I have no idea. But my father might have ticked off his fair share of people in his day. Zod was proof of that." He rubbed a hand over his face. "Geez, I hope history isn't going to try to repeat itself."

"You might want to have a chat with your father about anyone capable of starting fires from nothing."

Superman let out a frustrated sigh. "That's just it, Bruce. I haven't been able to talk to him since I got back."

"What? Why?"

"Luthor," Superman answered darkly. "He took the crystals to make New Krypton. I couldn't find them anywhere in the ocean so I can only assume they're somewhere out in space with that huge chunk of Kryptonite. If I get within a few feet of that thing, I'll pass out in minutes."

Batman looked thoughtful. "Maybe we can get Green Lantern to help us out. He's the guardian of this sector of the galaxy which means he knows this area like that back of his hand."

"Do you think he'd be able to find it? Space is pretty vast, Bruce."

Batman shrugged. "We won't know until we try. It's our best bet for now in figuring out who's coming to Earth and starting fires in Metropolis. The sooner we catch this guy, the better."

They went back down to the ground level to find Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter sitting at the table.

"Where'd the others go?" Superman asked.

"They had to get back to their respective cities," Wonder Woman answered. "Aquaman doesn't like sticking around on land for too long and Green Arrow's busiest days are always on the weekend. Flash rushed off to get to work before they could fire him. He stayed until he had thirty seconds to clock in."

"He's the fastest human I've ever met," Superman muttered.

"Maybe you two should race some time," Green Lantern joked.

"That just might be fun," Superman said with a grin.

Batman changed the subject. "Hal, we need to ask a favor."

The green clad hero raised an eyebrow. "Sure, what is it?"

After explaining the situation, Green Lantern was more than willing to look for the missing Kryptonian crystals. Promising to keep in touch throughout the week, he took off, flying into space without delay.

"I should probably get back to work," Martian Manhunter said. "They're pretty swamped right now."

"Good to meet you," Superman said again, shaking his hand.

"Likewise, Superman," he said. "It is nice to find another who is the last of his race. I'm grateful I can empathize with you."

"I feel the same," said Superman, meaning every word.

The Martian waved goodbye to Wonder Woman and Batman before taking off. Not wanting to feel like a third wheel, Superman turned to say goodbye.

Batman shook his hand. "Heading home?" he asked.

Superman knew what he meant. "For now I think it would be best."

Wonder Woman shook his hand too. Her crystal blue eyes were filled with wisdom. "Whoever she is, I hope it works out," she said bluntly.

Superman stared. "Excuse me?"

"The woman you love," Wonder Woman clarified. "I hope it works out with her."

Superman looked at Batman but the Dark Knight's surprised expression told him that he hadn't said a word to his girlfriend about Lois. He looked back at Wonder Woman. "How do you know?"

She merely shrugged. "I can tell. Whoever she is, she's lucky."

Batman frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked playfully.

Wonder Woman smirked. "Fear not, Bruce. I haven't any romantic feelings for your friend. But even I know a good man when I see one. It was nice to meet you, Superman."

Superman blinked a few times. "Nice to meet you too."

It had been two days. Clark was nowhere to be found. He hadn't called either. Perry wasn't too worried. He said it was common for reporters to go off the radar for a couple of days when chasing a story. But he didn't know the secret. Superman was still all over in Metropolis. I'd even stationed myself up on the roof for six hours but he never came to see me. Sure I was on scene after he'd cleaned up a mess but he never once turned to acknowledge my presence. My articles started sounding just as generic as every other reporter's who had been assigned to follow Superman around.

I needed to find Clark before people started noticing a decline in our paper's sales. Not that that was the reason I wanted to find him but I didn't want to have to tell Perry that Superman had stopped talking to me. He'd noticed a change in my articles but hadn't said so much as a word. He probably assumed it was due to emotional stress.

The third day of Clark's disappearance arrived and I couldn't stand it any longer. I knew he wasn't at his apartment; I'd checked in with Miss Jenkins on a frequent basis. She thought I was his girlfriend at first but I cleared that up by saying I was his partner at the Planet. She'd opened up to me a whole lot more after finding out I was Lois Lane. She'd even gone so far as to keep watch on Clark's door and report to me every other hour the same message: He never came nor went.

Superman could still be seen flying all over Metropolis but that didn't mean that Clark was staying somewhere in the city. He could fly around the world in less than an hour. He could be staying anywhere. But I knew Clark now, both as himself and as Superman. From his journals I knew that when he was having a rough time, he retreated to either the Fortress of Solitude or to his hometown in Kansas.

There was no way I could travel to the fortress. My best bet was trying to find him in Smallville. If anything, he would visit his mother eventually. And I was bound and determined to be waiting there for him until he arrived, even if I had to wait a month.

I stormed into the bullpen. My ferocity caused everyone in my path to scamper. They knew it was better to get out of the way when I was in such a mood. Perry saw me coming. He opened his door and allowed me to march right in.

"I'm claiming my vacation time," I announced shrilly.

Perry's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "Did I hear you right, Lois? Vacation?"

"Yes, what's the big deal?"

Perry blinked. "Lois, you never ask off of work for an extended period of time. I usually have to call in security to force you out of the building."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'm here to collect now, Perry, so why are you complaining?"

Perry eyed me carefully. "What's going on, Lois?"

I slammed the door shut. "I'm going after Clark," I stated. "I'm not the type to just sit around and mope until he decides to get a back bone and come back to Metropolis."

"Kent's in Gotham searching a story," Perry said.

"I have reason to doubt that," I said firmly. "And no, Perry, I'm not going to tell you why. This is between me and him and if you want your star reporters back as soon as possible, I'd advise you to let me go after him."

Perry seemed angry that I would talk to him so sternly but he stewed in silence contemplating my words because he knew I was right. After a long pause, he sighed. "Fine. You have a week. One week, Lane, and nothing more! If you and Kent aren't back in my office by that time, both of you are fired."

_Like you'd ever do that_, I thought.

"Fine," I said.

"What about Jason?"

"He's coming with me."

"But, Lois, are you sure you want to drag your son into your relationship problems?"

"He's already part of them, Perry. It would be less confusing for him to see me work things out with Clark than to have him figure out why I suddenly ditched Richard for him."

"Alright, fine. Get out of here," Perry muttered, shooing me out of his office by flapping his hands. "You have a week, Lane!" he shouted after my back. "Don't forget that! One week!"

In no time at all, Jason and I were on a plane to Smallville. My son had asked several questions but I'd only told him we were going to find Clark. When Jason found out what we were doing, he stopped putting up a fuss. In fact, he seemed rather happy about the idea.

His elation gave me cause to suspect he knew who Clark really was. Superman hadn't come to visit him the past three days. Clark had been missing for three days. Jason had even asked if I'd seen Clark at work. After being on the plane for over an hour, I looked down at my son who was busy coloring in a picture of Superman. He'd given him glasses.

"Jason," I whispered, keeping my voice low. "Why did you give him glasses?"

Jason stiffened. "Um…I didn't want to give him a mustache?" he said lamely.

That was all I needed to confirm my suspicion. Jason acted exactly like his father when trying to lie. I smiled knowingly. Jason bit his lip, waiting. I decided to let it go. After a moment's pause, he went back to coloring.

I have to admit, I was rather happy Jason knew yet I was peeved he knew when I didn't. I wondered if Clark had told him. Or maybe Jason figured it out on his own? The boy was very smart. I wouldn't have been surprised if that had been the case.

We reached Smallville around ten o'clock at night. Jason was asleep in the rental car's passenger seat. The long drive from the airport to Smallville had been too much for him to take. Sure he was excited, but he was still just a boy, and jetlag had caught up to him. As I drove down the lonely stretch of road, I passed through the main part of town. Everything was closed, leaving only light coming from the street lamps. If I hadn't had my GPS I never would have found Clark's house. It was a good thing Perry had the address on record since half of Clark's funds went to his mother.

I pulled into the Kent Farm driveway at ten thirty. My heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. My nerves were going to be fried by the time this was over but I wasn't going to back down now. I'd made up my mind and when that happened, nothing stopped me from carrying out my decision. I turned the engine off and stared up at the bright yellow house. The lights were still on downstairs. Someone opened the door. I knew that figure anywhere.

Getting out of the car, I closed the door quietly so as not to wake Jason. Clark's face would have been hilarious if I hadn't been so determined to carry out the entire purpose of me traveling all the way from Metropolis to the middle of nowhere in tornado country. My heart felt like it was in my throat as I walked up to where Clark stood on the bottom step of his front porch. He was wearing a plaid shirt and a pair of jeans.

I barely registered how sexy he looked before I launched myself into his arms, slamming my lips against his. I tried to convey every ounce of love I felt for this man into that kiss. He was shocked at first, his body completely rigid, but as I closed the gap between us, his arms wrapped around me. He began to respond and boy, did that send my mind into the clouds. Clark Kent knew exactly what he was doing. He pulled me towards him, one of his large hands slipping into my loose curls and resting behind my head, the other caressing my lower back. My hands wove up into his hair, pulling him even closer against me.

After what felt like an eternity of blissful kissing, I pulled away and looked into his eyes. They opened behind his fogged up glasses, their depths filled with pleasure, shock, and slight confusion.

I smiled devilishly. "That was quite the kiss, Smallville," I whispered seductively.

I kissed him again before he could respond. It was just as intense as the first except this time it was filled with longing. I desperately wanted to haul him away some place where we could really get things going but common sense caused me to stop. I stared into his eyes for a solid minute, reveling in their beauty. Clark stared back, obviously slipping into shock.

I reached up and put a finger on his long straight nose. "Don't you dare try to run away from me, Mr. Kent," I said. "I traveled a heck of a long way to kiss you so you better not leave me out on this porch." Clark's mouth fell open. I laughed. "I know, shocking, right? Lois Lane travels to Smallville in search of Clark Kent for the sole purpose of giving him a kiss."

Clark found his voice only enough to say one word. "Why?"

I lifted up on my tiptoes and kissed him again, this time gently, passionately, and slowly. I pulled away just enough for my nose to touch his. "Because I love you, Clark."

Clark looked like he was going to fall over. "You…love me?"

I laughed again. "Yes! I'll say it again and again if it will help you understand. I love you, Smallville."

"But… what about Richard?"

I finally noticed him looking down at the engagement ring I'd never bothered to take off due to habit. I removed the ring from my finger and tossed it over my shoulder; it landed somewhere in the dirt. "It was only for show anyway. Richard and I haven't been together for months, Clark, and we're never going to get back together. People assumed we were taking a break but the truth is we called everything off shortly after you came back."

Clark looked as if he wanted to tell me something but he hesitated. I smiled, a devious thought coming to my mind. I ran my finger across Clark's jaw. The man shivered beneath my touch, closing his eyes, breathing deeply. I smiled in satisfaction. He still loved me. I kissed him again beginning softly, slowly, and with each kiss I lingered a little more. It was the distraction I needed. While he was completely occupied, I unbuttoned his shirt and started tracing the bright red S on his chest.

It took five seconds for him to realize what I'd done. He pulled away and looked down. My finger traced the S, a smile on my face. "I'm glad you came back," I whispered. "I missed you."

I bent down and kissed the S before looking back up at him. He reached up to remove his glasses but I stopped him. He looked at me questioningly. "I'm in love with _Clark,_" I emphasized.

A smile finally graced his perfect lips. "If you're in love with Clark, you should probably know he doesn't actually wear glasses," he said, his voice dropping. It wasn't deep like Superman's voice but it wasn't high like Clark's usual tone. It was somewhere in the middle and I can't deny that this tenor tone was more attractive to me than either guise.

I allowed him to pull the glasses off his face. He folded them up and put them in his back pocket. The spit curl was missing, his hair was slightly windswept, unlike Superman's usual style, and his smile was genuine.

"This is the real me, Lois," he said.

I smiled as I gave him a once over. "Yes it is. I've imagined the two personalities together but that image doesn't do the real thing justice."

"When did you find out?"

"A few days ago," I admitted.

"How?"

"Your journal." Comprehension dawned on his face. "Maggie found it amidst the remains in the fire. I've been reading it since then but not once does it say anything about you being Clark Kent. The fire burned where your name would have been. I figured it out myself because, if you haven't noticed, I was watching you at the office a lot more than usual. I was falling for you just as Clark not as Superman. I can't tell you how conflicted I've been. I felt like I was in love with two different men! I wanted you to be Superman so badly that when I found out it _was_ you I didn't have much room left to be angry. Don't get me wrong, I was upset that you stole my memories, but I can understand why you did it."

"Do you remember?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't think I ever will."

"I'm sorry."

I smiled. "I know. You'll just have to make it up to me by creating new ones." He opened his mouth to argue but I put my finger to his lips. "Clark, I was stupid before. I was selfish. I didn't want to share you with anyone. I'm older now. I'm more mature. I want to be with you, _all_ of you. We can make it work. And don't you dare say that you refuse to be with me because you're afraid I'll get hurt. This is my choice, Clark. You want to be with me and I want to be with you. Who cares what your Kryptonian parents say! They were fools to think they could send you here to Earth and not expect you to fall in love. You're just as human as the rest of us. You deserve to have everything we humans have and here I am _with our son_, handing you that life, begging you to take it. Please, Clark. I want to be with you. I want you to be Jason's father. I don't want you to be alone anymore. Jason and I will always be forever yours and yours alone."

Repeating his words seemed to have the desired effect. He closed his eyes, enveloped me into his arms, and rested his head on my shoulder. I kissed the side of his hair gently, just above his ear. "I love you," I whispered.

He raised his head to look at me. "I love you more than life itself, Lois Lane," he whispered.

"Then why are you hesitating?" I asked.

He sighed and took a step back but kept his hands on my hips. "Last time we expressed our feelings we rushed though everything and ended up with years of heartbreak. I don't want that to happen again."

I frowned. "We were really stupid back then."

"How do you know we won't make the same mistake?"

"Because we're still standing outside on your porch instead of lying in your bed," I answered honestly.

"Lois," he muttered, exasperated, blushing crimson.

"What? It's the honest truth. Both of us are nervous. We've already walked off the normal relationship path once. It's natural to vacillate over starting over. But Clark, more than anything, I want to. I want to start over."

"When you say start over, what do you mean exactly?" Clark asked innocently.

I smiled and reached for his hand, slowly taking it in mine. "When a guy and a girl like each other, what do they do, Clark?"

Clark's face reddened slightly as he realized what I was getting at. Staring down at our hands, a small grin formed on his face. He looked back at me sheepishly. "Lois," he asked, his nerves present in every syllable, "would you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?"

I busted up laughing. Clark looked bewildered over my reaction. I couldn't help myself; I'd been expecting him to catch on but I didn't think he'd ask me out in such an old fashioned way. Then again, this was Clark and he was definitely what the world would label as old fashioned. Chuckling, I reached up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Of course, Clark," I giggled. "I'd love that."

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're adorable."

Clark stared. From his face I was sure that never in his entire adult life had anyone ever called him adorable. "Is that a good thing?" he wondered.

"For you, yes," I laughed before kissing him lightly on the lips.

I kept it brief. We'd decided to start dating after all. Like adults, we couldn't rush things. It wouldn't be fair to Jason. Even though we both knew that neither of us could function one hundred percent apart from each other, we mutually agreed in silence that a courtship would be wise. I secretly hoped it wouldn't be a long one. A month or two would have worked for me. Heck, I wanted to marry Smallville right then and there but that wasn't appropriate. Clark was too much of a gentleman living in old fashioned principles to rush off with me to Vegas tonight, no matter how much he may long to do so. No, he'd do things traditionally, including asking my father for permission for my hand. I shuddered at that thought but kept it to myself. There was no need to worry about Clark meeting my father until a ring became involved.

Pulling away from Clark, I went back to the rental vehicle. I glanced over my shoulder. He was still standing on the porch. "Hey, Smallville, are you going to just stand there or as you going to help your girlfriend get her bags and her son into your house?"

At the word "girlfriend" I felt shivers of pleasure run down my spine. Clark grinned. He must have heard my heart pick up. Either that or he was just as pleased about me calling myself his girlfriend as I was. In the blink of an eye he was at my door. I leapt back in surprise.

"Sorry," he muttered.

I laughed weakly. "I'm going to have to get used to that. A little over excited Mr. Kent?"

Clark blushed but didn't comment as he pulled both suitcases out of the car with one hand. He held them over his head like a waiter.

"Show off," I snorted in good humor.

Clark grinned.

Reaching into the front seat, I unbuckled Jason and lifted him into my arms. He didn't even stir as I shouldered my purse and closed the door. Clark walked beside me up the front porch and held open the door, welcoming me into his home. After he set our bags down in the hallway he placed his hands on my hips. At first I thought it odd that he'd try something when my arms were already occupied with Jason but then I realized we were floating forward towards the stairs.

"Clark!" I whispered, slightly panicked.

"Lois, relax. I'm only taking us up to my old room so you can lay him down. I didn't want you to have to hike up all those stairs."

"Always the gentleman," I muttered, still slightly amazed that Clark was holding me at arm's length like I was as light as a feather while maneuvering us up the stairs without even touching them. Our feet connected with the landing ten seconds later. "Thanks," I said.

"Anytime," Clark grinned. "My old room's just down the hall."

I followed him curiously, staring at the bright red hallway that led towards the room where Superman had grown up. After opening the door, Clark flipped on a lamp light in the corner. I took everything in, excited to get to know this side of Clark that had always been a mystery: his childhood.

A bed stood in the corner under the only window, the comforter draped across it a simple red, the pillows bright blue. A nightstand, a large crowded bookshelf, and a desk were the only other furniture in the room. The closet doors were open, stacked with boxes on one side except for a small space where a couple of Clark's shirts hung. They must have been extras he kept around the house for when he came home to visit. Pictures lined the wall over his bed; a couple of them scenes from space, others of unknown faces he probably had gone to school with. A blonde girl was present in most of those. She was rather pretty and the way she looked at Clark held sincere endearment and possibly deeper affection than she wanted others to know. I raised my eyebrow, deciding to ask him who she was at a later time.

Clark pulled the comforter aside and I laid Jason down. He curled onto his side and slept on. I pulled the blanket over his shoulders and kissed his forehead. Clark bent down and kissed him too before stepping back to be at my side. We watched our son for a few minutes and for the first time, I felt complete. This was what family is supposed to feel like. Clark took my hand, hesitantly, and squeezed it gently. I smiled and squeezed back.

After another moment, Clark turned off the lamp and led me out into the hallway. I noticed the glow in the dark star stickers on his ceiling along with the single red dot that must have represented Krypton. We didn't say a word until we were back downstairs.

"My mother will be heading home soon. She's over at Ben's house playing checkers."

I raised an eyebrow. "Does she know you're home?"

Clark nodded. "I arrived earlier this afternoon. How did you know I would be here, Lois? I told Perry I was going to be in Gotham."

I grinned. "I saw that Superman was still haunting Metropolis. And from the way he'd been giving me the cold shoulder I figured he was having a rough time."

Clark grimaced. "Lois, I'm sorry for that. I was only acting that way because I overheard you say that you'd rather I didn't even exist."

I pursed my lips. "Do you often eavesdrop on my conversations, Clark?"

Clark shook his head emphatically. "No. It's a habit of mine to perk up whenever the name Superman is mentioned though. At first I wondered if you were calling for help but then you kept talking and I couldn't help but overhear."

"Oh," I said, settling into the caramel colored couch. "That makes sense then. Wait, so you heard me say I didn't want you around? Did you hear what we were talking about before then?"

Clark shook his head. "I heard up to the part where Perry was talking about a bet he'd won. I had to run right after that to clear a traffic jam in Maine. On my way back I tuned into your voice. I admit that was eavesdropping but can you blame me? You had been talking about Superman and curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately I reentered the conversation only to hear you say you wished I didn't exist. I stopped listening after that and flew off."

"I'm sorry," I said, taking his hand. "That was a terrible part of the conversation to overhear, Clark. If you'd heard the whole thing, you would have realized I was talking to Perry about you."

"Me?"

"Yes. I was telling Perry that I had feelings for you that were stronger than the ones I felt for Superman but the feelings I felt for Superman were conflicting with my feelings for you. Funny how I was fighting over my affections towards the same man."

Clark laughed heavily. "Ironic, I'm sure."

I smiled. "So that explains why you avoided me for three days. After that talk with Perry I slept outside your apartment all night but you never showed up."

"You did what?"

"You heard me," I sighed, leaning into his chest. He placed a comforting arm around me. I reached up and played with his fingers. "When you didn't reappear after two days, I remembered how in you journal entries you'd say you would go to either the Fortress or your home in Smallville when you were feeling down. I couldn't very well drag Jason with me to the Arctic so I decided to come to Smallville. I figured you'd visit your mother at some point and decide that even if I had to wait a month, I'd stay here until you showed up. I'm glad you didn't make me wait."

Clark leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "I'm glad I was here too."

I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Lois?"

"Hmmm?"

Clark's body rumbled slightly beneath me. "You're asleep."

"No I'm not," I said, my voice sounding distant even to me.

I felt him shift underneath me as he lifted me into his arms like I was a china doll. My head lay on his shoulder. In a similar fashion to earlier, he hovered up the stairs. I felt like we hadn't even moved. He set me down on a bed in what I later learned was in the guest room. He removed my shoes from my feet and pulled the blanket up to my shoulders.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing my temple.

I smiled. My eyes were still closed. I was already slipping away… "I love you too, Clark."

Faintly I heard the door close before sinking into oblivion.

**Thanks for reading! Thoughts? Pretty please? :3 Reviews make pumpkinmooses happy! :)**


	9. Smallville

09 Smallville

Clark closed the door to the guest room and leaned against it for several minutes. In all honesty, he was still harboring a sense of shock. Lois Lane was in Smallville, sleeping in his house! Was this really happening? Using his x-ray vision, he peered through the door. She was still there. Looking down the hall, he saw Jason roll over in his sleep. Clark shook his head, shut the x-ray vision off, and went down stairs in a daze.

He made himself a cup of coffee and was stirring in the sugar when his mother walked in. She smiled warmly at him and glanced at the clock. "Are you up this late because you just finished a rescue?"

Clark shook his head. "No."

Martha walked around the counter and stopped in front of her son. With motherly intuition, she took his hand. "Clark, what's wrong?"

He blinked down at her. "Mom, Lois and Jason are here."

Martha's silvery eyebrows rose. "Is that why there's a rental car in our driveway?"

Clark nodded.

"Why did she drive all the way out here?"

Clark swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck. He felt himself flush. "She flew here from Metropolis to…to _kiss me."_

He had been expecting her to be shocked but found that she was incredibly calm in her reply. "So she figured it out again, did she? Oh that woman sure loves you, son. No matter how many times you may try to fly away, she'll always find a way to catch up to you."

"That's an understatement," Clark sighed.

"Sweetheart, why do you look like the world is crashing down? I thought you'd be happy to have her and your son in this house. You've said countless times that you wanted to bring them to Smallville."

"I'm just shocked. Mom, she fell in love with Clark Kent instead of Superman this time."

Martha chuckled. "And that surprises you?"

"Well, yes! I mean, she's never had eyes for Clark Kent. She's always chased after Superman."

"Until he left her for five years," Martha pointed out. "As Superman, you hurt her deeply by running away but that allowed her a chance to look around and finally see Clark Kent."

"I guess I'm just shocked that she'd even fall for me."

"I'm not. Clark, you may put up quite the show when in the office but you still show pieces of who you really are just like you do when you're Superman. It's only when you come home that you fuse both pieces together to make a whole. And I think that Lois fell in love with the pieces from both sides."

"She did say while she loved me she also loved Superman."

Martha nodded. "She fell in love with both sides of you. I think that things are going to be quite interesting now that she knows you're one in the same person."

"What do you mean?"

Martha smiled. "Both of you have loved at a distance for years, Clark. Now that you've opened up to each other you can love up close and personal. Just, be careful."

"Mom!" Clark gasped, blushing deeply. "I'm not going to go _that_ far!"

"You already did once."

Clark looked down into his coffee. "That was spur of the moment."

"No, it was releasing a dam that had been building for years. When you finally stop denying yourself what you want, it's hard not to overdose. That goes with anything from drugs to food to relationships."

"Mom, Lois and I talked. We both agreed that we leapt into something without building up to it. The results left both of us broken. The only _good_ thing that came from it was Jason."

"So what have you decided to do?"

Clark cleared his throat, stirring his coffee with the sugar spoon. He couldn't look her in the eye for some reason although he was sure she didn't miss the small grin on his face. "We're going to go steady and see how things work out."

"As Clark Kent or as Superman?"

Clark paused in thought. "Well, I can't very well date Lois as Superman. My enemies would nab her faster than I could blink. Besides, it would endanger Jason's parentage and that's not an option. No, if we're going to make this work, I have to be Clark."

"You don't seem too sad about that," Martha pointed out, chuckling.

Both knew that this was what he really wanted, what he'd dreamed of, since the first time he realized he had feelings for Lois. As Clark, he could display affection to her publically. He wouldn't have to wait to hold her, to kiss her, to take her hand and stroll down the street. Everyone in the office would know that she belonged to him and him alone. A smile spread wide across his face from the image of shock that would surely come from his coworkers. That was definitely something to look forward to.

His mother's small laugh brought him back to the present. "Daydreaming, son?" she teased.

Clark blushed. To hide it, he downed his coffee and stood up. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Darn right," Martha muttered, glancing at the clock display. It was almost midnight. "I want to be wide awake when I finally meet my grandson." Clark heard her heart flutter as her eyes filled with tears. "My grandson," she whispered, smiling. "I never thought I'd be able to say that."

Clark shared in her happiness. He had always thought he would be the last of his kind, doomed to a state of utter loneliness in the midst of families. Now he had one of his own. He sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. It came from the bottom of his heart. That night, Clark Kent felt like the luckiest man on the planet.

I woke to the sound of laughter dancing from the air coming through my open window, the cool breeze whispering of the reality of late September. Sitting up, I smiled happily. Last night hadn't been a dream. I was really in Smallville in Clark Kent's house. Getting out of bed, I went to the window to peer outside. The scene that met my eyes only deepened my smile.

Jason was in the yard playing with an old golden retriever while Clark leaned against the house's fence, smiling just as widely as me. His eyes met mine the second I peered through the window. He sent me a cheerful wave, his lopsided grin causing his eyes to twinkle. I waved back.

"Good morning," I whispered.

I knew he could hear me because his face softened as he continued to watch me from the ground. The staring contest didn't last long; Jason distracted him by running right into his legs. I laughed out loud as a startled Clark was suddenly tackled by an airborne dog. Unable to take a step back because of Jason holding his legs, Clark toppled to the ground. The dog, still on his chest, began attacking his face furiously with its tongue. I'm sure the only reason he fell over was out of pure surprise.

Jason broke into a fit of giggles as Clark tried to gently shove the dog away from his face. Jason's giggles were joined by those of an older woman and my smile faltered slightly. I'd completely forgotten about Clark's mother. Was she okay with us suddenly crashing at her house? I bit my lip, suddenly nervous. I wanted to make a good impression. Frantically I looked around the room and found a mirror. I looked a right mess; my hair looked like a rat's nest and the makeup I'd had on last night was smeared all over my face. Mortified that Clark had seen me in such a state, I found myself desperate to find a bathroom.

That's when I noticed that Clark had snuck in at some point to leave me a note explaining that the bathroom was right across the hall and I would find the suitcases I brought with me at the bottom of my bed. I looked up and smiled. That man; he was so thoughtful.

Fishing out a change of clothes and my bag of toiletries, I rushed into the bathroom. I decided a shower was in order. Clark apparently anticipated that since there was a fresh set of towels sitting on the counter. Again touched by his thoughtfulness, I smiled absentmindedly as I turned on the warm water. It was amazing what a shower, some makeup, and thirty minutes could do for a girl. After removing my curls from my face to dap the last ounce of mascara to my lashes, I looked into my reflection to inspect my finished work. My hazel eyes were bright – brighter than they'd been in years. I'd decided to wear a simple button up bright blue shirt and jeans. I was in the country after all. Checking my curls one more time, I caught myself and rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Lois," I muttered at my reflection. "There's no reason to feel like you're back in high school. You're an adult. There's no need to be so nervous. She's just his mother." _The woman who raised Superman, _the voice inside my head pointed out. "Shut up," I muttered.

Heart fluttering madly, I left the bathroom. The second the door opened the smell of pancakes, bacon, and eggs kissed my nose. I nervously made my way down the stairs into the kitchen where I first saw Jason sitting on a stool talking animatedly to Clark. At the sound of my approaching footsteps, Jason looked up and leapt from his bar stool.

"Mommy!" he cried, leaping into my arms. "Mommy, Mr. Clark has a dog named Shelby and I didn't sneeze or get itchy eyes at all when I rubbed his head."

At the sound of its name, the golden retriever walked over and began sniffing my legs. I immediately backed away.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Jason asked.

In response, I sneezed. "I'm allergic to mutts," I muttered, sniffling.

Clark let out a laugh before stepping forward to lightly kiss my lips. "Good morning," he said with a smile.

I blushed while Jason gasped in my arms.

"Morning," I breathed.

"Does this mean she knows?" Jason asked, looking at Clark.

Clark nodded.

Jason wrapped his arms around my neck and lightly squeezed. "Yay! Mommy knows that Mr. Clark is Superman and that he's my Daddy too!"

I smiled a little disoriented. That's when I noticed Clark's mother. She was standing behind the island in the kitchen wearing an apple decorated apron, jeans, and a flower patterned blouse. Her silvery hair was tied in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were kind and the wisdom of years etched into her slightly tanned face showed that she had smiled a lot in previous years. She was a little taller than me and about as petite as I was.

Clark made the introductions. "Lois, this is my mother, Martha. Mother, Lois Lane."

Martha smiled as she shook my hand. She had a very strong grip which surprised me. "Lois, it's so nice to finally meet you in person. You can call me Martha. Clark's told me many things about you over the years."

I felt myself squirm a little as I realized she knew a lot about me but I knew next to nothing about her. "I hope we can get to know each other well," I decided to say. It was better than admitting my embarrassment.

"I hope so too, dear. Your son is a rather charming boy."

"Thank you. He takes after his father in a lot of ways," I glanced at Clark who smiled at me.

Martha nodded. "I can see that. I'm glad I finally got to meet him."

Another pang of guilt ran through me. I knew Martha wasn't trying to be condescending; she was simply stating a fact. It wasn't reasonable for her to be angry when both of us knew that because of my memory loss I had no idea Jason even had a grandmother in Kansas.

Martha turned back to the stove to take off a fresh set of pancakes. "Are you hungry, dear?"

"Oh, yes, thank you," I said as she placed a plateful of food in front of me.

Clark sat down next to me while Jason climbed up into his lap. The two of them looked absolutely adorable. Martha seemed to share my admiration as she set down two plates before them.

"I love pancakes," Jason said, pouring a large amount of syrup over his plate. "I'm so glad I'm not allergic to anything anymore."

"Even so, ease up on the sugar, buddy," Clark said, grabbing the syrup before Jason could drown his food in it.

All three of us adults laughed as Jason attacked his food, shoveling large bites into his mouth and chewing enthusiastically. Martha joined us after helping herself to a plate. As I sat there, I felt so content that I actually sighed aloud. "I never thought I'd be at peace in the country," I joked in response to Clark's questioning eyebrows.

He grinned. "Smallville's not so bad now that you're here, is it?"

"Not a word of this when we get back to the office," I warned.

Clark merely laughed.

The rest of the day was spent taking a tour of the Kent farm and getting to know each other. I was shocked to learn that if she hadn't married Jonathan Kent, Martha would have become one of the best lawyers in Metropolis. She had a deep knowledge and education that one normally wouldn't expect to find in a woman of the Mid West. I admired her for being willing to give up everything she'd grown up planning to become for the sake of love. She was adamant when she expressed her love of living on a farm and raising Clark in the country.

"It made it a whole lot easier to hide him from prying eyes," she'd said.

In turn, I shared my past, skipping over the details in some areas because I'd promised myself never to return to them again. Growing up as an army brat hadn't been easy. My parents fought a lot and there were some moments when I was sure they were going to get a divorce but they always made it back to the love that had originally brought them together. My mother had been easier to talk to than my dad but now that she was gone, my relationship with my father was rather brittle. Our strong personalities could only tolerate each other for so long. Lucy, my younger sister, had stepped up to fill my mother's role as the peacemaker in the family. I refused to see my dad for an extended period of time without her for that very reason. In recent years, I'd only ever seen him during the holidays or important family events.

In the afternoon, Clark had to disappear for a couple of hours to take care of a hurricane that decided to try to push its way through Haiti. Jason spent that time exploring the farm, playing with the chickens and watching the cows – all under Martha's supervision of course.

I found myself sitting on the porch watching Jason play Frisbee with Shelby when Martha sat down next to me, holding out a glass of lemonade.

"Lois, I'm glad you're here," Martha said after a while.

I looked over at her. She was smiling warmly at her grandson. "So am I," I admitted.

"Was it a shock, finding out who Superman really was?"

"A little," I admitted. "He puts on a good show in the office. The past two weeks I suspected something but the two of them were so different. Blinded by the differences, I found myself more longing for them to be the same person than actually believing it."

"Hmmm," Martha said, sipping her lemonade. "Did you really fall in love with Clark or Superman?"

I looked into her eyes. She wasn't accusing just curious. That gave the reassurance I needed to be truthful. "When I first met Clark, I didn't think anything of him. But when Superman swooped in and saved me from that helicopter accident, I was smitten worse than a girl is when seeing her first crush. I was infatuated with him. I can't tell you how happy I was when I realized that he chose me as his press agent. I felt special. But then he left and I felt abandoned. I'm sure you know that he erased my memories."

Martha nodded. "Yes. But I only found out about that a few weeks after his return when he told me about Jason. Imagine my shock! I had a grandson who was five years old and I didn't even know it! I gave him an earful about that too. Don't misunderstand, dear, but Jonathan and I raised Clark to have high morals."

"I understand," I said sincerely. "Clark and I both agree that what happened was foolish. Jason was the only good thing to come from it."

"I agree with you," Martha said. "Lois, I'm glad you feel the way you do about the past. It eases my mind a lot."

I smiled. "Not all city girls are shallow."

Martha chuckled. "No they're not." She spoke of herself just as much as she spoke of me. "I'm glad you finally noticed Clark."

"I'm only sorry it took me five years to do so," I sighed heavily.

"It seems rather sudden," she commented.

I nodded. "I know. I can't explain it either but Mrs. Kent –"

"Please, Martha," she corrected.

"Martha," I said, "I want you to know that my feelings for Clark are genuine. This isn't another attempt to get the Man of Steel. I know it's only been a couple of weeks but I've found myself completely smitten with Clark and all his imperfections in that time. I think that I've had a crush on him for years, before he left, but I didn't become aware of my feelings until two weeks ago. It's amazing what you can see after your heart's gone through two failed relationships."

Martha laughed lightly. "Love's one of those things that nobody will ever be able to explain. I can see that your feelings for my son aren't forced. You love him, both sides of him."

"Yes," I admitted, "Clark more than Superman."

"I can tell."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really? Is it obvious?"

"To one who's had a lifetime's experience in love, it's quite obvious, dear. I'm sure those in the same position have noticed as well."

I immediately thought of Perry. Stupid old man; he'd seen it and even bet that it would happen. It took years but he'd seen something that I hadn't. Maybe that was why he had been a little distant about his opinion concerning me dating his nephew. Whatever the case, he seemed completely supportive of my decision to be with Clark. I rolled my eyes. If that old man wasn't so dear to me, I would have strangled him years ago.

Clark returned shortly after that, descending slowly from the sky to touch down in the front yard. Jason leapt into his arms. "Hi Dad!" he cried.

"Hello, Jason."

Superman's expression melted my heart. His eyes radiated the happiness in his heart, his face soft, with a breathtaking smile climbing his cheeks. Kissing his son on the forehead, he set him down, spun on his heel, and changed back into regular clothes. My heart leapt more to see him in flannel than it did when he was in the suit. It helped that he wore clothes that actually fit him, unlike the slightly large three piece suits he wore to work.

Clark walked up the porch and kissed me.

My eyes fluttered as my insides turned into jelly. "Did you save Haiti?" I asked while trying to clear my head.

"I managed to stop several cars from colliding into people's homes and even got to fight several trees. I think Haiti will have plenty of firewood to last through the winter… not that it gets cold there."

I laughed.

Martha stood up. "Clark, I need to run into town to pick up a few things for tonight. Would it be alright if I took Jason with me?"

Clark looked at me. I shrugged. "He's just as much your son as he is mine. I'm okay with it."

Clark grinned. "Hey, Jason?"

"Yeah, Dad?" Jason said, pausing in his attempt to throw Shelby's baseball. "How would you like to go see the town with your Grandma?"

Jason's eyes lit up. Dropping the ball, he rushed to Martha's side, hugging her knees. "Can we get ice cream?"

"As long as it's okay with your mom," Martha answered.

Jason turned his adorable bright blue eyes on me, pleading. "Please, mom?"

I rolled my eyes with a smile on my face. "Go ahead."

"Yes!" Jason cried, grabbing Martha's hand, pulling her down the stairs. "We'll get chocolate, no, strawberry! Or maybe… vanilla!"

Martha chuckled, her face glowing. I smiled. It was such a beautiful thing to see the two of them getting along so well. I was afraid that Jason would be incredibly shy around Martha but he'd been the exact opposite. He reacted the same way when he'd met Clark. Kents must naturally bond with Kents, I surmised.

We waved goodbye as the old pickup truck drove down the dirt road towards town. Clark put his arm around me.

"Your mother's really nice, giving us some time alone," I said, looking up at him coyly.

Clark grinned. "She whispered to behave ourselves."

I laughed, unsurprised. I put my hand on his chest, tracing an S over his plaid shirt. His eyes followed my finger. "So what are we going to do, Kal-El?"

Clark shivered. A look of longing came across his face and I had a suspicion that he was remembering something long ago, a time when I'd probably said his name exactly how I just did. Slipping his hand through mine, intertwining our fingers, he began walking down the porch steps. "Let's go for a walk. But first, I want to show you something."

"Okay."

I allowed him to lead me into the barn. My eyebrow rose questioningly. Clark only grinned as he moved towards the stairs that would take us to the hayloft. My heart skipped a beat. I'd heard plenty of cowboy stories to know that a hayloft was a great place to…

I blushed deeply. But Clark and I decided to get to know each other before taking that big of a step. Surely he was going to stick with that decision? If he didn't, I wouldn't stop him; kind of a hard thing to do when you want it just as badly.

I was expecting to find a gigantic pile of hay but instead my eyes settled on a strange but oddly cozy sight. The hayloft had been transformed into some kind of lounge. A large sofa covered in a plaid blanket was pushed up against the far wall. A desk, a book shelf, and a set of open makeshift cupboards lined the opposite wall, their surfaces bulging with books, papers, binders, random knickknacks, and a handful of photographs containing scenes from Clark's high school days. A telescope stood in front of a large open window, pointing towards the sky.

"What is this place?" I asked, fingering through a couple of papers on the desk. Several old editions of the Daily Planet were scattered here and there.

"This is probably my most favorite spot on the farm," Clark confessed. "My father called it my Fortress of Solitude."

I let out a hearty laugh, looking around the loft with humorous eyes. "I guess you upgraded when you graduated?"

Clark grinned sheepishly. "I still come up here a lot."

"When you don't want to hike all the way out to the Arctic?" I guessed.

Clark shrugged. "More of when I'd rather be _home _but not around anyone."

"I thought you didn't like being alone."

Clark leaned against the open window. I joined him.

"I don't like being alone," he admitted, looking at our hands. "But sometimes it's nice to get away from all the noise."

I leaned against him. "Is it hard to tune everything out?"

"Sometimes. It's always an effort to block everything because there's the possibility that I might miss something. I have to convince myself that if I tune out the noise for five minutes, nothing tragic is going to happen."

"Surely you don't stop listening all together?" I looked up at him curiously.

The expression I saw surprised me. Clark was embarrassed. A faint pinkish hue brushed his cheeks, his lips twitching slightly while his eyes looked away from my face. For a brief moment he looked like his usual self when back in the office after having been caught staring at me.

"Clark?" I prompted.

He cleared his throat, still not looking at me. "I don't tune out everything," he said quietly. "Actually, when I want to get away from everything, there's only one noise I focus on."

"What is it?" I prodded, curious.

Clark sheepishly met my eyes. "I listen to this," he said, pointing at my chest. His finger rested right over my heart. "I listen to your heartbeat, Lois."

I blinked.

"No matter where you are, I can find you," he muttered, "because I can always pick up on this."

I was speechless to say the least. Could you blame me? The greatest solitude the Man of Steel sought after when needing a moment alone was listening to a heartbeat – _my _heartbeat. Clark took my hand and gently led me down from the loft. I didn't allow him to make it out of the barn though. I latched onto his chest the moment we were off the stairs, hugging him tightly.

"I love you, Clark," I muttered.

Surprised but pleased by my affection, he wrapped his arms around my tiny frame. "I love you too, Lois."

"That's one of the most kindhearted things I've ever heard, listening to my heartbeat, I mean," I explained, my cheeks flushing, my eyes focusing on his chest. I couldn't meet his eyes. Why did I feel so shy all of a sudden?

Clark's chest shook as he rumbled with silent chuckles. With one finger, he lifted my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. They were tinted with amusement but also with intent. He stole my lips and my eyelids fluttered closed as I melted into his arms. He backed us into a support beam, his hands sliding from my shoulders down to my hips. My body shivered as I ran my fingers up his chest to settle somewhere in his hair.

Just as I was about to throw caution to the winds and rip open his shirt, Clark froze and pulled away from me. He was staring at the barn's entrance in shock.

"Clark?" I questioned, following his gaze.

Standing in the barn's open doorway were six men and a beautiful dark haired woman. All of them were staring at us with surprise except for the man nearest to the woman; he held a pleased smirk.

"Bruce?" Clark said, his face turning bright red.

The man with the smirk broke out into heartfelt laughter. He was very handsome, his tall body well toned, his black hair smoothed away from his face. A charming smile displayed perfectly white teeth over a firm jaw line. I wasn't very knowledgeable when it came to fashion but even I could tell his clothes were expensive.

"What are you guys doing here?" Clark asked, trying to overcome his embarrassment.

By now, the others all wore cheeky grins – except for the woman who was staring at me without emotion. Her sky blue eyes made me nervous, almost like I was being judged. I noted that her figure was flawless, the kind that any woman would kill for if they weren't satisfied with themselves.

"Well, since you looked kind of down when we first met, we thought we'd come and cheer you up," a blond man said, looking from me to Clark and back again. He wore a bright red shirt, jeans, and yellow converse.

"I guess we shouldn't have bothered," a blond wearing just as expensive clothes as Bruce muttered. He was wearing a green shirt with a hood.

The other three men were more casually dressed. One was African American (he wore khaki pants with a black polo); the man next to him was another blond with a fierce expression that reminded me of a sea captain or a general in the army (he wore an orange shirt, green shorts, and a pair of flip flops); the last of the group had slightly curly brown hair and wore jeans and a green camouflage tee shirt.

Clark cleared his throat and turned to me. "Well, this is awkward."

I cracked a smile. "Yeah... I didn't know you were expecting visitors."

"I wasn't," he said. "But I suppose I should introduce everyone?"

"Please," I said, feeling weird. It wasn't every day that you were caught making out by a bunch of very macho looking men and a model-worthy woman in an old barn.

"Hold on," Bruce said. "Does she know?"

Clark's face broke out into a rather large grin. "What do you think?"

Bruce returned the gesture. "Then I see no reason in hiding anything. After all, this is Lois Lane."

"Wait, _what?!_" The guy in red cried out. "This is _Lois Lane?_ _The_ Lois Lane? As in Superman's _press agent_ Lois Lane?"

Clark laughed, "The very same, Barry."

Barry's mouth dropped open and he looked from Clark to me and back again. "So, the rumors are true? But I thought…"

"They weren't true until yesterday," Clark admitted. Our audience gave him questioning looks. "It's a long story," he added.

"Excuse me, but who are all of you?" I asked, feeling slightly annoyed that no one had bothered to fill me in on what was going on here and also because a very romantic moment had been interrupted.

Bruce stepped forward and took my hand. Kissing it rather frivolously, he smiled the most charming debonair smile he could muster. "Bruce Wayne," he introduced.

My eyebrows rose and I stared from him to Clark. "You know _Bruce Wayne?_"

Clark looked slightly annoyed that Bruce had displayed such a frivolous gesture in introductions. "We've been friends for years," he admitted a little stiffly.

I pulled my hand out of Bruce's grip to put it on my hip. "And you never bothered to get an interview with him?! Do you know how many times I've tried to get one only to be turned down by every person in Wayne Enterprises? I was even thrown out of the building once!"

"Really?" Bruce asked. "That's usually not how my security handles reporters."

"Most reporters don't try to break into the building through the air vents," I said without shame.

Clark burst out laughing while Bruce looked both surprised and impressed. "If I'd know you were that determined to get an interview, I would have gladly scheduled one," he said. "Although, I usually don't give personal interviews, I can make an exception for you."

"Great! This weekend. Your place or mine?" I asked, switching into full reporter mode.

Bruce eyed Clark. "I can see why you like her. I'll come to you, Miss Lane."

I grinned and looked at Clark. "All this time you could have been the one to get an interview with him. Ha! You missed your chance, Smallville."

Clark looked at me fondly. "Perry never assigned me to talk to him, Lois."

"You could have at least worked something out for me," I said.

Clark eyed me with an impish grin. "And why would I do that? I enjoyed watching you try so hard."

I lightly punched him in the arm.

"I love you too," he chuckled.

I blushed. "Shut up, Kent."

Bruce looked amused. "Well, there's one other thing you should know, Miss Lane."

"What?" I asked, piqued.

"I'm also Batman."

I stared. Batman? _Batman?!_ I would have thought he was pulling my leg if he didn't look so serious. Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, Prince of Gotham, was the Dark Knight?! Comprehension dawned on my face. It made sense when I really thought about it. No wonder Batman had such nice fancy gadgets; he had enough money to buy whatever he wanted! I looked at the rest of the group behind Bruce and became suspicious. Why would Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, come to visit Clark with a whole group of people? Unless the rest of them were…

"You must be the other vigilantes running around the world," I surmised, taking each of them into consideration.

Once again, they were all surprised. Well, all of them except Clark, who knew me well enough to know that if there was enough evidence, I could figure out any secret I put my mind to. I placed my hands on my hips, silently declaring my expectation for them to come clean.

Diana stepped forward, holding out a hand. "Diana Prince and Wonder Woman," she said.

"Nice to meet you," I said, shaking her hand.

She smiled. "I'm glad things worked out. You are a lucky woman, Lois Lane. Clark Kent is a very good man."

Normally I would have been concerned that another woman felt that way about my boyfriend (I shivered in pleasure just thinking that word) but I could see in Diana's eyes that she only held respect and admiration for Clark. "Thanks," I said.

Diana looked at the others. "Well? Introduce yourselves!"

The boys didn't seem to like the idea very much but under Diana's scrutiny, they shuffled forward.

"Barry Allen, the Flash," the blond with the yellow converse said.

"How fast are you exactly?" I wondered.

Barry smirked. A whirl of wind ruffled my hair and then Barry stood in front of me licking an ice cream cone. "Sorry," he said, "I just decided to go to England to get ice cream."

I raised my eyebrows. "Impressive."

Suddenly a green hand appeared out of nowhere, shoving the ice cream into Barry's nose. He whirled around and cried indignantly at the man clad in camouflage, "Hal! What's the big idea?!"

Hal shrugged. "Somebody needs to keep your ego under control." Sidestepping Barry, he held out his hand. "Hal Jordan, Green Lantern."

"Hal Jordan as in the pilot?" I guessed.

"The very same," Hal replied, pleased. "How did you know?"

I smirked. "The camo was my first suspicion. Oh, and my father's General Sam Lane. He's told me stories."

Hal's mouth fell open. "You're kidding?!" he sputtered.

"It's honestly not that big a deal," I said waving off my parentage.

Hal repeated my words silently. He seemed shell shocked. I shouldn't have been surprised; my father was pretty famous after all. However, the last thing I wanted to do at the moment was talk about my dad. I looked over at the blonde wearing the orange shirt. He noticed and inclined his head. "Aquaman or AC," he said begrudgingly.

"Are you really? Is it true you're the ruler of Atlantis?"

"Yes," he said, guarded.

"Cool," I muttered. "Don't worry, I won't ask where it is. Neither will I ever write anything about it without your permission."

He seemed to relax. "You're wise for a land-dweller."

"I suppose that was a compliment," I surmised.

"It was," Bruce assured.

Not wanting to be left in Bruce's shadow, the other blond man in expensive wear came up and was so bold as to kiss me on the cheek. Clark stiffened a little next to me. For a second he looked like he wanted to wrap his arm around my shoulder. I stifled a chuckle. "And you are?" I asked, eyeing the handsome blond.

"Green Arrow or Oliver Queen but you can call me Ollie if you want, sweetheart," he said seductively.

"Two billionaires running around in costumes," I thought aloud, "I never would have guessed. It makes perfect sense though. You both have enough money to afford any gadget you need. Don't think you're exempt from sitting down with me for an interview," I said, shaking a finger at Oliver.

"For you, sweetheart, I'd sit through a five hour interview."

"Oliver," Clark complained.

Oliver took a step back and shrugged. "Can't blame me, Clark, your girlfriend's hot."

"Why is it that all billionaires turn out to be playboys?" Clark jabbed.

"I only pretend so as to throw people off my trial," Bruce defended. "Queen, however, has been chasing after every woman that suits his fancy since he discovered the opposite sex."

Oliver displayed no shame. "Have to experience a lot in order to find the right one," he replied nonchalantly. "Obviously I'm still looking."

I pursed my lips. I didn't approve of his logic from a playboy perspective although I had to agree with him that most of the time you had to date around to find who you liked. It was only the rare occasions when you met someone who found their soul mate and knew it right from the beginning. Those people were the lucky ones; like Perry and Alice, Lucy and Ron…me and Clark. I glanced at him and for a moment I forgot the others were even there. He really was the puzzle piece I'd been missing and longing to find. I thanked all my lucky stars for being in the minority to find their soul mate so easily and know it without a doubt. My hand unconsciously took hold of his. The others noticed but didn't comment. Clark squeezed my fingers tenderly.

The last of the group was the African American. He stepped forward and shook my hand. "J'onn J'onzz or Martian Manhunter," he revealed.

I didn't flinch. Instead I filled with excitement. "I've heard stories," I said excitedly. "It's nice to meet another visitor who's decided to call Earth home. I hope you've found it to your liking?"

J'onn appeared very surprised. He looked deeply into my eyes. "You are a kind woman, Lois Lane. I can see why Kal-El is in love with you. You are very…accepting."

I smiled warmly, clearly touched. "Thank you."

"Thank you," he replied.

I looked around at all the heroes and felt my fingers itching. I wanted to write an article concerning them so bad but I didn't have a story. I couldn't help myself; I was standing in the midst of such remarkable people, all who had the desire to help save lives in a way the paramedics and police officers couldn't. Clark recognized the look on my face.

"Lois, I know you want to but I think it best if you keep this under wraps at present."

I deflated. "Fine."

"Keep what under wraps?" Barry questioned.

"Writing an article," I sighed.

"Why do you want to do that?" Hal wondered.

"She _is _standing in the middle of a barn with every known super hero on the planet," Bruce pointed out. "If I were a reporter, I'd be going nuts over wanting to tell the world our secret identities."

"But you surely won't do such a thing?" Diana asked, an unspoken warning in her voice.

I shook my head emphatically. "Heavens, no! I'd never reveal that to anyone! No, what I really want to write is a story about all of you working _together_. Can you imagine what the world would think if they saw all of you working as a team? It would inspire so many people and it would cause the villains to use their brains a little more when trying to decide whether or not to do something."

My eyes began to shine with all these visions of the heroes kicking Luthor into next week. So I held a grudge against him; it wasn't completely irrational. The man had tried to kill my family after all and Clark more than once for that matter. I was sure that if these superheroes combined into a group, he'd think twice before threatening my family again.

"The Justice League," I decided, staring at them all.

"What?" Clark asked.

"The Justice League," I repeated. "That's what you'd be if you teamed up."

Clark frowned. "Lois, we're not about to start up a club. We have our own cities to attend to."

"And yet you all know each other," I pointed out. "If you were going to keep to your own cities you wouldn't make an effort to get together, now would you?"

Everyone fidgeted uncomfortably.

"It's nice to be with other people who…understand what it's like to be…different," Barry confessed.

I nodded, understanding. "It's nice to have people to relate to. I'm merely suggesting that all of you consider becoming a team – not all the time, just when things get a little difficult to handle on your own. Like when Clark had to push that entire hunk of Kryptonite into space."

"I didn't really need help with that," Clark tried to say but I shot down his pride.

"Clark, it was made of _Kryptonite_, the only thing that can kill you. You nearly _died_ from it!"

"I think you're exaggerating a little bit," Clark muttered, shrinking away under my gaze.

"Says the man who lay unconscious in the hospital for two days," I jabbed. "You suffered from Kryptonite poisoning for a _week_. I know that _now_ even though at the time you lied to all of us saying you'd been buried under the rubble of some crumbled building and in a coma for the same length of time."

Clark could feel the eyes of his colleagues flittering back and forth between my face and his. I realized I was embarrassing him but I couldn't deny I was having a little bit of fun; not to mention liberation for calling him out on one of the many times he lied to cover his identity. He shuffled his feet, suddenly finding his shoes interesting. I lifted up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

"You deserved that," I whispered so quietly against his skin that only he could hear.

He nodded mutely, agreeing. He looked up at his friends and, deciding to change the subject, asked if they would like to stay for dinner.

"We don't want to impose," J'onn began but Clark held up a hand.

"You wouldn't be imposing at all," he assured. "Just let me make a quick call."

"Where are you going?" I asked as he started heading towards the house.

"I left my cell phone inside," he said over his shoulder. "I'll be right back." And in a gust of wind, he was gone.

I found myself staring at the others and a somewhat awkward silence began to blossom between us. Clark saved us from the silence by returning a second later. "My mother said she'd be happy to have you all for dinner. They'll be home in a while."

"Well, what kind of things do you do on a farm for fun, Smallville?" I asked with a smirk.

Clark grinned. "Oh, you can get pretty creative with so much open space to work with. But since we don't have a whole lot of time, who'd like to play some basketball? Powers would be allowed, of course."

Barry grinned. "Now that sounds like fun."

"Does not," Hal complained. "You and Clark would be the only ones able to see the ball with your speed."

"That's why we'll be on different teams," Clark said, "that way we can keep each other in check and even out the odds."

"It sounds pleasurable," Diana said, "but I think I'll watch."

"I don't play land-dwelling games," AC said though not unkindly. "I'll watch with Diana."

"I don't think I need to say the reason for staying out of this one," I said.

Clark grinned.

"Alright, how about you three divide us up then?" Bruce suggested to me, Diana, and AC.

Diana met my gaze and both of us shared a smile. Super basketball sounded like it was going to be quite the spectacle. "I think that's a great idea," I said.

After some discussion we decided to put Barry, Oliver, and Hal against Bruce, Clark, and J'onn. It seemed like a fair deduction, given that each team was given two heroes with super abilities and one hero handy with gadgets.

"How do we remember who's on what team?" J'onn asked.

Hal answered for them by using his ring to make glowing bracelets appear on his teammates' wrists.

"That works," Bruce muttered.

"Alright, everything goes," Clark said, picking up the basketball and heading out to where a hoop hung on the side of the barn. "Just don't use your abilities to damage the property."

"You should take that warning yourself, Clark," said Barry.

Clark grinned. "I've had a lifetime to perfect not messing anything up on this farm. I think I can handle a little basketball."

It was decided that Oliver and Bruce should be the ones to start the game. The two stepped up to each other, both holding smirks.

"Better watch it, Bruce," Oliver warned, "I used to be on the team in college."

Bruce didn't reply. Instead he waited for Diana, who decided to be the one to toss up the ball. Before she threw it straight into the air, she pecked Bruce on the cheek.

"Hey, no romance on the court!" Barry complained.

The others only laughed. Clark caught my eye and winked. I grinned and leaned against the tractor next to AC. He appeared casual but after further observing him, I noticed his lips were rather dry. "Um, AC? Would you like a glass of water?" I asked timidly.

He looked over at me with raised eyebrows. "Oh, um, sure."

I smiled. "I'll be right back."

I started heading for the house when the game began. Bruce grabbed the ball and threw it behind him without even looking. A blur shot through the air, obviously Clark. Another blur raced towards him – Barry – and Clark reappeared, the ball no longer in his hands. Barry appeared as well, dribbling with a grin on his face. The ball suddenly didn't come back up after hitting the ground and Barry looked around wildly only to find that J'onn had snuck up on him, invisible, and stole the ball. He tossed it to Clark who sped to the hoop. Hal created a giant hand, intent on slapping the ball away, but Clark reacted fast and passed to Bruce who sidestepped Oliver and slammed it in.

Barry let out a groan. "That wasn't fair!"

"Was so," Bruce said. "No power limits, remember?"

Another round began. I slipped inside, grabbed a glass of water, and headed back out just in time to see a bright green slingshot barrel the basketball into the hoop. This had to be the strangest basketball game I'd ever seen. I made sure to stay as far out of the line of fire as possible. At one point Bruce brought out one of his gadgets to trip up Oliver who slipped a knife out of nowhere and slashed the ropes as he rolled with the ball still in his hands. He tossed it to Hal, who clasped it with a large green orb, dribbling it occasionally. That's when Clark decided to use his heat vision to melt through the orb, steal the ball, throw it to J'onn, who scored.

I reached AC and handed him the glass.

"Thank you," he said, grateful, before gulping the whole thing down in less than a second. Immediately the color returned to his face. He really did need to be around water all the time. I made a mental note to carry around a water bottle, just in case.

"No problem," I said, taking the glass. "So, who's winning?"

"Surprisingly, Barry, Hal, and Oliver," Diana answered.

"Really?" I wondered aloud.

"Oh, wait, now it's Bruce, Clark, and J'onn," she corrected.

I watched as time and time again the ball went through the hoop. It wasn't until Barry decided to perform a super speed slam dunk that Clark stopped in midflight, looking towards the road. Bruce and J'onn noticed his sudden halt immediately and stopped playing defense. Barry was the last to realize that nobody else was playing. After picking up the ball, he turned around and found everyone staring at Clark.

"What is it?" I asked.

Clark landed and looked around. Despite trying to keep the yard from getting destroyed, they'd made several large holes in the dirt, cracked a few fence boards, and, in Clark's case, left several burn marks on the barn's wall.

"My mother's coming," he revealed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do."

The others looked around. The place didn't look too well.

"How long before she gets here?" Bruce asked.

"Two minutes," Clark said after a pause, staring off into the distance.

"That's plenty of time," Barry said. "I'll take care of the fence."

"We'll focus on the holes," Bruce said, indicating himself, Oliver, and Hal.

Clark looked at the barn. "I'll work on that," he said, gesturing to the burn marks.

By the time I heard the pickup pulling off the main road, everything but the barn was finished. Clark was putting the final touches to the last burn mark when the truck pulled to a stop. Everyone was expecting Martha but they were unprepared for the little boy that jumped out of the passenger seat.

"Mommy! Mommy! We saw cows and there was someone riding a pony on the side of the road!" he said excitedly, rushing into my arms.

Ignoring the others, I scooped Jason up. "Did you now?"

Jason nodded. "And Grandma said that she has horses! Can we go riding tomorrow? Please, mom? Please?"

I looked at Clark. He set the paint can down, brushed off his hands, and came over to Jason. The boy turned to him and asked the same question before I could answer.

Clark smiled. "Sure, son, I don't see why not."

"Yes!" Jason exclaimed, punching the air.

"Wow, wait a second…" Hal called, gaining Jason's attention for the first time. "_Son?_ You have a son, Clark?"

Clark blushed under his colleagues' scrutiny but he was smiling with pride as well. "Everyone, this is Jason."

Aware that a bunch of adults were staring at him, Jason swallowed and nervously waved. "Hello," he said, quietly.

"He's so cute!" Barry said, coming over first. "Hey, Jason, my name's Barry."

"Hi," Jason said, taking the hand Barry had offered.

"He's got your eyes, Clark," Diana commented, coming over as well.

Jason stared at Clark with the clear question of wanting to know who all these people were. Clark took Jason from my arms. "Son, these are my friends." He introduced everyone without admitting their alter egos.

"My, this is quite the sight," Martha said, coming over.

Clark made introductions again, this time for his mother's sake. Though she didn't know who was who, it was obvious from the old woman's smile that she knew who they _really_ were. They probably wondered if Clark had told but then again, she was the mother of Superman. Surely she could spot another hero when she saw one.

"Clark, would you mind bringing in the groceries?" she asked.

"Not at all," Clark said, setting Jason on the ground.

He immediately latched onto me, rather shy now that he was around people he didn't really know. I took his hand. "Come on, honey, let's go inside."

"Okay," he muttered, his eyes falling to the floor.

I chuckled when I met Martha's eye. "Just as shy as Clark?" I asked.

Martha held a twinkle in her eyes as she nodded. "Like father like son. Now, how about all of you come inside? It's starting to get cold after all."

Everyone followed her into the house. When we entered, Clark was already in the kitchen, putting stuff on the stove to cook.

"Great dinner choice, mom," he commented, lighting the stove on fire with his eyes.

Jason gasped and looked from Clark to his friends. "They know?" he whispered loudly.

"Sure do, kid," Oliver said, leaning against the doorframe. "Heroes tend to know each other."

Bruce eyed Oliver but the blond billionaire simply shrugged. "Even if he's five, he's the son of Superman. He already has to keep secrets so why not be able to keep ours?" With that, he walked over to Jason and pulled out an arrow from some hidden place. "I'm Green Arrow," he said, showing the weapon to Jason.

Comprehension dawned on his face and his shyness seemed to evaporate as he looked at the other adults in the room. He pointed at Diana. "Are you Wonder Woman?" he asked.

She smiled. "I am."

"I knew it!" Jason cried, overly excited. "You're the first girl to be a superhero. Can you really fly just like Daddy?" Surprised but pleased, she hovered above the ground for a second to prove it. Jason's eyes glistened. "Cool!"

He looked at the men, an expectant expression on his face. As I stared, he looked exactly like Superman did when waiting for an explanation from someone he'd captured in a crime. I laughed under my breath. Clark looked over at me, amused, but didn't comment.

"Well, it seems like secrets won't do in this house," Hal said. He slipped on the ring, turned into Green Lantern and slipped it off again.

Bruce pulled out one of his tools shaped in the form of a bat. AC made water shoot into his hands from the kitchen sink. Barry sped around the house, causing quite the stir, and J'onn transformed into his real form before switching back into his disguise.

"Wow," Jason gasped, looking at all the adults with stars in his eyes. He grabbed my hand and shook it violently. "Mommy! That's all of them, right? That's all the heroes?"

The others chuckled humorously as I nodded. "Yep, I'm pretty sure that's all of them."

Jason looked about ready to burst he was so excited. He turned back to the others. "I have coloring books of all of you but more of Superman 'cause he's my favorite."

"Big surprise there," Oliver said, looking at Clark who was grinning while cutting up potatoes at lightning speed.

The next hour was filled with Jason telling the heroes all about his massive amount of possessions having something to do with each of them. They were surprised to learn that the boy had such a wide variety. Sure, he had more Superman stuff than anything else, but when it came down to it, he had a very well rounded collection. Jason was a good entertainer. While he talked in the living room with the others, Clark, Martha, and I made dinner. Well, I stood around in the kitchen while Clark and Martha made dinner.

With Superman's help, a meal that would have taken up to two hours was done within twenty minutes. When we called everyone into the dinner table, the smells of steak, mashed potatoes, cornbread, and salad wandered through the air. The steak had been cooked with heat and x-ray vision, which meant it was cooked to perfection.

I was a little nervous seeing Jason eat foods he used to be deathly allergic to but throughout dinner Clark assured me that he was x-raying Jason frequently and nothing was swelling or rejecting the food. It was odd how comfortable I felt sitting at a table filled with the Earth's greatest protectors. The atmosphere was so tender and heartfelt. Though it wasn't November, this was how I imagined every Thanksgiving should be; growing up, mine had been completely disastrous.

Halfway through the meal, Clark paused mid-bite, his head twitching to the side ever so slightly. Sighing, he set his fork down.

"Clark?" I prompted.

He stood up. "I'll be back in a while…satellite crash," he muttered. Before anyone could ask if he needed help, he was gone in a rush of red and blue.

Martha went back to her food without any thought of concern. I looked at her with admiration. She caught me staring and shrugged. "I'm used to it," she said simply, smiling all the while. "He always comes home, dear, whether it's a couple minutes or several years, he _always_ comes home."

I felt that she said that more as a reassurance to me than to anyone else. It was as if she was telling me that if we decided to become something more than steady, I needed to keep that fact in mind. That last part of her words made me rather sad. Martha had been alone for five years like me, wondering what might have happened to Clark. Though my worry was surely nothing compared to what she had experienced, I tried to imagine how I would have been if Jason had disappeared for five years. That realization deepened my respect and admiration of the woman before me tenfold.

"Daddy will be fine, Mommy," Jason said between a mouthful of potatoes. "He's strong."

Diana smiled. "He sure is."

After two hours, Clark still hadn't come back. Everyone was in the living room now, the adults sipping coffee, and in Jason's case, Kool-Aid. Though they were hiding it, it didn't escape my attention that the other heroes were glancing at each other with frequent worried looks. Even Jason glanced out the window every few minutes.

Martha alone seemed calm. She busied herself with knitting an afghan, talking to a distracted Diana. I watched her and wondered if it would be possible for me to be like her. She was an expert when it came to living with Clark Kent, something I both envied and worried over never being able to do. Would I ever become as strong and sure as his mother?

After another half hour, the door opened and shut with a bang. Martha smiled. "How many times have I told you not to slam the door, Clark?" she called, not even looking up from her knitting.

"Sorry, mother," Clark's voice replied tiredly.

I got up but he was already standing in the entrance way before I was halfway across the room. He was back in normal clothes but his hair was disheveled more than usual, his face darkened with soot, and his eyes looking straight at me with all seriousness.

"Clark, what's wrong?" I asked, slightly panicked.

Everyone looked our way from hearing the distress in my voice.

Clark only had eyes for me. "There was another fire," he revealed.

"Where?" I gasped.

"The Daily Planet."


	10. The Corn Festival

**AN: Hi all! I hope you've enjoyed the romantic chapters to their fullest because from here on out we're entering the adventure part of the fic! WOOT! Of course there's still going to be romance - a hopeless romantic like myself has to satisfy that need no matter how much action is involved! There will be plenty of both, I promise. Also, I'm bringing in a few things from the television series, Smallville, just as a heads up. Things are heating up for our hero and favorite journalist! Enjoy The Corn Festival and the adventure it brings! **

**PS - All of you are great! **

10: The Corn Festival

My legs turned to jelly instantly. The Daily Planet…_my_ Daily Planet…

Clark grabbed me as my knees gave out. "How bad is it?" I breathed, my heart hammering in my chest.

Clark rubbed a soothing hand up and down my back. "Relax, Lois, it was only the globe."

I stiffened. "Only the…?"

Clark nodded. "I was able to prevent it from reaching any other part of the building thanks to Perry. He was up there when it happened."

"Oh my gosh! Is he okay? Did he see who might have started it? And what was he doing up there in the first place?" I asked, fearful that Perry might have been injured.

"He's alright," Clark assured. My heart relaxed a little. "I don't know why he was up there but he only saw a shadow."

"Did _you_ see anything?" Bruce asked. I jumped. I'd totally forgotten the other heroes were still in the room.

Clark shook his head. "No. The fire blocked the attacker's face. As I drew closer, a brilliant white light flashed through the sky and by the time I reached the Globe and put out the flames, the only thing left was the trademark footprints."

"I wonder why whoever it was didn't do anything to Perry," I shuddered.

"That was probably because he was in a blind spot," Clark answered. "And he wasn't fool enough to shout. He whispered that he was watching another fire and that I should head over to the Daily Planet if I cared about it at all."

I smirked. "I feel that you're leaving out the stream of colorful language he probably added in that whisper."

Clark smiled. "There's no harm in paraphrasing, Miss Lane."

"So, the Planet's okay?" I asked.

I felt Clark's chest rumble from a silent chuckle. He kissed the top of my forehead. "Yes, sweetheart, it's okay."

Feeling myself blush scarlet at the nickname, I moved away from him and sat down on the couch. "Okay…good…" I mumbled hastily.

Clark then turned to Hal. "Have you had any luck at all?"

"In the search?" Hal asked for clarification.

Clark nodded.

Hal sighed, running a hand through his slightly curly brown locks. "I'm doing my best, Clark. Space is a pretty big place. I've been able to find small pieces of the island near Neptune but I haven't ventured out as far as Pluto yet. I was going to go back out on the search tonight, in fact."

Clark looked like he wanted to join him but from the look on my face, he realized he was needed more here with me. And to be perfectly honest, I did need him; now more than ever. The Daily Planet wasn't just where I worked. It was my home. Perry wasn't just my boss; he was my mentor, my friend, and, though I'd hardly ever admit this to anyone, my father figure. Two of the four most important things to me had been threatened. The shock was beginning to wear off, replaced by anger and a thirst for revenge.

Who would have the guts to attack the Daily Planet, my home? Whoever they were, they'd opened something they should have kept closed. When I found out who'd done this – and I was definitely going to find out who it was – they were going to wish they'd never messed with the only place I had ever truly called home. First my apartment, then Clark's, now the Daily Planet; what was next?

I paused, suddenly struck by revelation. All three targets had one thing in common…I looked up at Clark, comprehension dawning. I hadn't realized it before… but that was because when the second fire happened I didn't remember Clark's secret. Now everything was lying in front of me like an open book. All three fires were connected to Clark.

It took me a moment to realize that the other heroes were saying goodbye. "You're all leaving?" I blurted out. They looked at me. Obviously from their looks, I'd completely zoned out.

They were kind enough not to laugh though Flash had a difficult time hiding his smirk.

"We really need to get back to our respective cities," Diana answered.

"Will we see you again?" Jason wondered.

All the adults looked to him with complete fondness. I was pleased to see that my son had captured the heroes' hearts just as thoroughly as he had captured mine. They each assured him that they would keep in touch before bidding the rest of us goodbye.

Martha sank into her rocking chair in the corner with a large smile. "It's been years since this house was that full. Now that they're gone, it feels kind of empty."

Clark agreed. "I'm glad you got to meet them, Mom."

"Me too," she said, her eyes twinkling. "I know how much it must mean to you, honey. It wasn't easy growing up feeling like there weren't any others out there like you. I'm glad you have friends who can fight alongside you."

"Can I fight too, Daddy?" Jason asked, coming away from the window; he couldn't see the superheroes anymore.

I stiffened. Before I could answer, Clark got down on one knee. "Son, I think when the time is right, and you're older, you should ask me that question again. For now, I think it's best if you continue to take care of your mom."

Jason looked at me. "Does that mean I can use my powers now?"

I shook my head. "Honey, I think it would be best if you kept your powers a secret."

"But, Daddy gets to use his powers all the time," Jason whined.

"Jason," Clark said gently, his expression softer than I'd ever seen it before; it was the love of a father for his son. "I didn't actually let people know about my abilities until I'd grown up."

"Really?" Jason said, looking surprised. "But, I thought you were always Superman."

Martha chuckled, drawing the boy's attention. "Superman didn't show up until after Clark had started working at the Daily Planet when he was an adult. Before that, he kept his powers absolutely secret."

"But why?" Jason wondered.

"Because I wasn't ready to share my abilities with other people," Clark answered. "I had to make sure I could control them completely."

Jason suddenly stiffened and looked at the floor. "So you wouldn't…hurt anyone," he mumbled.

Clark reached over and picked up his son in one fluid motion. "Jason," he said gently, "remember what we talked about?"

"Yeah," Jason sniffled, wiping his nose with his sleeve. "Self defense."

"That's right," Clark said.

"But…if I'd been able to control it, do you think I wouldn't have…" Jason couldn't finish his sentence.

My heart went out to him. He'd never really opened up about the whole piano fiasco but now I could see that he'd been heavily traumatized. I kissed his head and rubbed his arms while Clark gave him a tight squeeze. "Jason, it's not good to dwell on things," I said. "What if your Daddy always thought about bad things? Do you think he'd be able to help people?"

Jason looked from me to Clark and back again. "No," he said after a minute. "He'd eat ice cream and watch movies like you do when you're sad."

Clark snorted as he unsuccessfully tried to hide his laughter. My face flushed. "Well, ice cream and a movie does wonders sometimes." I shot Clark a pointed look. He composed his features, looking at me innocently. I rolled my eyes before turning back to our son. "Exactly. And if Clark did that, he'd get fat."

That caused Jason to laugh. Clark looked appalled. "That's not true," he began to say but I gestured to Jason. "Oh, I mean, sure, whatever you say, Lois," he finished hastily.

Jason looked at Clark. "Will you help me learn how to control everything so that one day I can help you and the others fight?"

Clark looked at me. I shrugged. As much as I didn't want to see my little boy rushing off to fight crime, stop bombs, dodge bullets, and put out fires, I couldn't prevent him from becoming what was clearly in his genes. As a mother, whether I liked it or not, Jason was Clark's son, Superman's son, and if he wanted to take up the family business who was I to stop it from happening? Oh, I'd do everything I could to make sure he had a good education so he could provide for himself in a secret identity, but I wasn't going to prevent him from saving the world if that's what he really wanted to do. It would be a waste to have his gifts if I was a helicopter mom and never let him use them.

"I don't see why not," I said, giving Clark my approval, "as long as you are willing to be patient, munchkin."

"Your mother's right," said Clark, a look of excitement gleaming in his unearthly blues, "it took me years to get everything down. Are you willing to do that?"

Jason nodded, his little chin held in such a way that reminded me very strongly of Superman. "I can handle it. I'm Superman's son after all."

Martha laughed. "Well, whether you're Superman's son or not, even a hero needs to sleep."

Jason groaned. "Can't I stay up?" he begged, looking from me to Clark.

"No," Clark replied firmly, surprising me. His voice was kind but it wasn't one to be argued with. Jason didn't even try to argue, though he did want to pout. Clark smiled. "If we're going to go to the Corn Festival tomorrow, you've got to get plenty of sleep."

Jason's eyes widened in excitement as he exclaimed, "Are we really going to go?"

"Corn Festival?" I questioned with a look of distain. All I imagined was walking around staring at corn husks; not at all fun in my opinion.

Clark laughed but ignored me. "Only if you get to bed in the next ten minutes."

Jason leapt out of his arms and raced for the stairs to go change into his pajamas and brush his teeth.

My questioning eyebrow returned in full force. "Corn Festival?" I repeated.

Clark smiled. "It happens every September, Lois. It's a big celebration in Smallville."

"What do you do, have competitions of whose corn is the tallest?" I joked.

Clark continued to look humored. "No, actually there are games, fair attractions, horseback rides, food contests, and the biggest corn maze in all of Kansas. Not to mention the hoedown that takes place after the sun sets. The whole town shuts down to celebrate. It's a celebration to welcome in the Fall."

My questioning eyebrow rose even higher, joined by the other one. "You actually have fun things to do in Smallville?"

Clark laughed. So did Martha. "Smallville isn't really a dull place, Lois, if you look around," Martha assured.

Clark stood up. "Speaking of looking around, Lois, care to join me for a little stroll?"

I took his hand but hesitated. "What about Jason?"

"Don't worry, dear, I'll make sure he gets in bed," Martha promised.

I still didn't move. "What about the Planet? Shouldn't we head back?"

Clark pulled me up and clasped my hands soothingly. "Everything's fine back in Metropolis, Lois. There's not much more that can be done tonight."

"But, we should be there," I argued. "The fires are our story, Clark! Perry knows I came after you. He gave us a week but I'm sure he's practically frothing at the mouth to get us to come back now that the Planet itself has been attacked."

"Even if he were frothing, there isn't any new evidence that he already doesn't know about," Clark pointed out. "He was the only witness, Lois. What does he want us to do? Interview him?"

My face cracked into a smile as I thought how ridiculous that would be. "I guess you're right." I paused, thinking. Why worry too much about it when Clark had a point. We may have a shadow on our hands but other than that there was nothing new to glean on. Sighing in frustration over being in reporter's block, I consented to stay in Smallville. For some reason I had a sneaky suspicion that after we returned to Metropolis, things were going to turn for the worst. A little more normalcy would be most appreciated – not to mention it was more time that I could openly be with Clark, time that I selfishly wanted. We still had to discuss what we were going to do back at the office.

Clark led me out onto the porch and then surprised me by scooping me into his arms. Though the gesture was unexpected, I was rather thrilled to be in such a position. "Are you kidnapping me, Smallville?" I asked slyly.

Clark grinned. "I don't see you resisting."

"Well, I can't deny my kidnapper is rather…distracting."

A low rumble came from Clark's chest. I snuggled in closer to his body, my head resting over his heart. He was so warm!

I didn't realize he'd taken to the air until the wind whipped my bangs into my face. Shoving them aside, I looked up. Clark was looking ahead, his strong jaw line perfect to my view and, more importantly, exposed for my lips. I leapt at the opportunity, kissing his jaw from his chin, working my way up to his ear.

"Lois, though I love what you're doing, it's making it very difficult for me to fly," Clark confessed.

I laughed into his ear. "Then you'd better find a spot to park, Smallville, cause at the moment I can't control myself."

I kissed him further to prove my point. Clark shivered and I smiled in between kisses. I loved that I could get him to react in this way! He swooped down a moment later and landed on the top of a windmill. Momentarily distracted, I broke away from kissing him to look around. We were pretty far up, with nothing around us but miles of tall grass. And then there was the sky. As far as the eye could see, the stars twinkled unashamed and unhindered in the blackest of night. I could see the entire Milky Way.

"I guess I was wrong about Kansas," I whispered in awe. "It's beautiful, Clark!"

He put his arms around me and kissed my ear. "Not as beautiful as you."

I shivered and leaned into his embrace. Surprising me, Clark whipped me around before fully planting his lips over mine. My entire body lit on fire, my thoughts flying into the night sky, as I laced my fingers into his hair. He seductively ran his hands down my sides stopping at my hips. We were just getting to the good part when my phone rang. Ignoring it, I continued to kiss Clark, though I could tell he was becoming distracted by the noise.

"Lois," he muttered against my lips.

I continued to kiss him, cutting him off.

"Lois," he tried again.

"What?" I growled, moving my lips up his jaw line since I couldn't get him to stop talking.

"I think you should answer it," Clark said, though his voice was full of distraction from my seductive attempts. "It's Perry," he added, in a last ditch effort to get me to stop causing him to quake uncontrollably with desire.

I sighed, pulling away from him. "This had better be good," I snapped, looking down at my phone. It was indeed the Editor in Chief. "This is twice in one day that we're interrupted."

Clark chuckled quietly in my ear as he pulled me into a tight embrace while I hit the little green phone icon on the screen. "What Perry?" I snapped, unable to keep the bitterness from my tone.

"Lane! Don't give me any trifle," Perry shouted into the receiver. "While you're off chasing Kent the Daily Planet globe catches fire and is saved by Superman! And none of my best reporters are even in the city to get the scoop! Where the heck are you?!"

"I'm in Smallville, Perry."

"Did you find Kent?"

"Yes."

"Then what are you still doing in Kansas?! Get back here and-"

I cut him off. "_Perry,_ I'm not going to chase after a story that doesn't even have further facts! For your information, Superman already found me and told me everything that happened. I'll have an article for you in your inbox before the morning addition. Now will you please leave me alone? Clark was just about to start the French kissing when you so kindly interrupted."

Neither Clark nor Perry had been prepared for such detailed information in such a nonchalant manner. Clark blushed deeper than a red apple all the way to his ears. Perry was silent on the phone for a solid ten seconds – a record of silence may I point out.

"Y-You'll have the article in my inbox?" Perry asked, stuttering in a very Clark Kent-like fashion.

I smirked; glad to have inflicted the desired punishment on him for interrupting what I would have loved to have in one succession. "Yes, Perry," I drawled. "Now can you hang up the phone? Clark's about to-"

"I don't need to hear of your affairs, Lane! Yours or Kent's!" Perry shouted hastily. The line went dead.

Laughing mercilessly, I put the phone back in my pocket and looked into the still reddened face of my boyfriend. Grinning at the large-as-moons unearthly blues, I reached on tiptoe and started right where I left off, kissing Clark on the jaw and making my way back down towards his mouth. He still seemed completely embarrassed, his lips dormant against my active ones; guess I had to spur him forward.

Running my nose along his chin, I whispered, "Clark, are you not going to French kiss me?"

He seemed to snap out of his embarrassment. He lifted my chin up so I could look into his eyes. What I saw there made me swallow the moan that threatened to leave my throat. His eyes were smoldering with a mixture of desire and playfulness. "Are you sure you want me to fulfill that request, Miss Lane?" he asked, his voice the low timbre of Superman.

I shivered. I didn't trust my voice. I'm sure it would have come out in a squeak. I nodded wordlessly. Clark chuckled. He leaned forward. "Allow me to oblige," he whispered, his lips brushing against mine.

That was the end. All rational thought disappeared as he swept me into his arms, fulfilling my desires in such a way that no other man had been able to.

An earsplitting crow from the Kent family rooster shattered the pleasant dream I'd been having. Cursing, I glared at my window in aggravation. "Stupid animal," I growled. I hadn't gotten much sleep due to having to write that article I'd promised Perry; it had kept me up until past midnight. Closing my eyes, I turned my face into my pillow, remembering where my thoughts had been just a moment ago. I sighed, muttering, "It was just getting good…"

I reflected on the dream but it was already slipping through the tendrils of my brain, like water freefalling through my fingers. I sighed, disappointed. Clark had been holding me as we danced through the night with nothing but the stars as our audience. He had just leaned forward to devour me in pleasures when that darn rooster had decided to shatter the imagery.

The only reason I didn't dwell on it too much was because of what had actually happened last night. Being a gentleman, and a far better bridler of his passions, Clark hadn't let anything escalate beyond the few French kisses – though I desperately wanted more. I suppose that having an eidetic memory helped; Clark wasn't going to jeopardize anything concerning our relationship ever again. Though disappointed then, I was incredibly thankful now. Smiling happily from the remembrance of those wonderfully deep kisses, I almost skipped into the bathroom. Jason was standing at the sink, brushing his teeth.

"Morning Mommy," he said after rinsing.

I kissed the top of his brown locks. "Hey, sweetheart, did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," Jason said. "The rooster woke you up too?"

"Yep, infernal thing," I muttered, grabbing a towel out from the cabinet over the toilet.

Jason giggled. "Are we going to the Corn Festival still?"

"Of course we are," I said. "I just need to take a quick shower before we head out."

"Okay! Maybe Daddy and I can go see the horses while you're getting ready."

Before I could say another word, the door banged shut, Jason's little feet tromping down the stairs in excitement. I smiled, shaking my head. Though I wanted to see the horses too – more see Clark riding one than anything else – I really needed to shower. Kansas seemed to cause me to sweat a lot more than Metropolis.

About an hour later, I went downstairs to find Martha sitting in the living room sipping coffee while watching the news. She looked my way and smiled. "Good morning, dear."

"Morning," I said. "Anything we need to worry about?"

Martha shook her head as she reached over and offered me a cup of coffee. I took it gratefully as I sat down beside her. The liquid woke me up in a way that the shower never could.

"The Daily Planet made the news but there wasn't much to report on except for the fact that Superman saved the building before it could burn down like the apartments."

"Thank goodness for that," I muttered.

"It really is your home, isn't it?" Martha wondered, turning her attention away from the weather man.

I nodded. "I have more memories that are worth remembering there than my entire childhood."

Martha looked at me with slight pity. "I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "Like I said before, my past isn't that big of a milestone for me. But the Planet…? My friends are there and they are more my family than my actual family. Not to mention that's where I met…"

"Superman and Clark?" Martha guessed with a smile.

I smiled back. "I was going to say my soul mate."

Martha's eyes sparkled. "You're his just as much as he is yours, dear. I've never seen him look like this before, even with Lana Lang."

I thought of the blonde girl in the photos up in the loft and his old bedroom. "Is she that blonde girl in all his school pictures?"

Martha shook her head. "Oh, no, that's Chloe Sullivan. She's one of his best friends. They stay in touch, although she lives in Star City now. She's a journalist there."

"Really? How come I haven't heard of her?" I wondered.

"Chloe goes by an alias," Martha said. "She didn't want anyone finding their way back to Smallville."

"Why?"

"She managed the Torch, the Smallville High newspaper, all four years she attended there. Her articles were famous for being about the meteor rocks and the unexplainable things that occurred in this town for years. If those articles came to light in other places other than Smallville, it could cause people to sniff around and possibly find out about Clark."

"She knows he's Superman?" I asked, surprised and a little…hurt?

Martha placed a hand over mine. "Understand, Lois, Chloe had a knack similar to yours in seeing things most people overlook. Clark never told her. She found out herself. Mind you, he didn't deny it after she demanded confirmation. It's kind of hard to deny something when your best friend threatens to run you over with their car to prove their point."

I let out a slight laugh. "I want to meet her," I said.

"And I think you will," Martha chuckled. "You two would probably get along really well."

"So, who's Lana Lang?"

"An old friend," Clark said.

I whipped around. Clark and Jason were standing in the doorway both looking windswept. Before I could ask Clark for further details, Jason launched himself at me, filling me in on all the details of his horseback ride with his father. He was rather animated as he described what it felt like to be in the saddle.

"Daddy says that we'll go riding again another time," he said.

"It might have to be during another visit," I said, standing up to give Clark a hug. "We're going to have to get back to the Planet."

Clark agreed. "I'm sure that even if Perry gave you a week, he'd expect us to return now that you've found me."

I sighed. "Well, we're not going back today. We have a Corn Festival to go to. Are you coming, Martha?"

"I'll be there later in the afternoon," she replied. "I have to wait until the pies are done. You three go have fun. I think the attractions will be up and running by the time you get into town."

With Jason acting like a task master, we were in the truck heading down the dirt road five minutes later. I looked over at Clark and approved of the white tee shirt under a plain bright red shirt and jeans. He didn't look too much like a farm boy although he was wearing cowboy boots. I made sure to rib him over it too but he just smiled and said it was tradition.

"At least I didn't dawn a cowboy hat," he joked.

I rolled my eyes. "For some reason I can't even imagine Superman wearing one of those."

Jason giggled. "You'd look really funny if you did, Daddy."

Clark reached over and ruffled his son's hair. After completing the action he slid his fingers between mine. I smiled as he squeezed them affectionately. The closer we got into town, the more populated the road became. I decided that most people in Kansas owned a pickup truck; all along the road for miles were varieties of the vehicle. Clark found an empty space closer to town and nabbed it before anyone else could. Getting out, the smell of cow met my nose in full force.

"Ugh," I complained. Clark grinned, not needing an explanation for my discomfort. "Did you have to park next to a cow pasture?" I asked, looking at the animals on the other side of the fence in distaste.

Clark slipped his hand through mine again, taking Jason's with his other. "You'll get used to it."

"Not likely," I mumbled.

The second Jason saw the rides, he picked up the pace. "Come on!" he complained, tugging on Clark's hand.

Clark smiled fatherly as he allowed Jason to drag us behind him. We joined the crowds of people in the main part of town. Small booths stood in front of the regular shops, their wears ranging from homemade crafts to carnival games lined with stuffed animals for prizes. The rides were located on Smallville High's football field. Most of the crowd seemed drawn there although there were plenty of people milling around the streets.

As we walked around, taking in the sights, my eyes were taken with the handcrafted jewelry, knickknacks, clocks, furniture, and accessories from the booths. Most of the prices ranged between five to seventy dollars. Though I didn't want to admit it, I found most of the stuff I saw rather appealing. Clark caught me staring at several jewelry pieces made of gears, screws, broken spoons, and bent metal objects. Normally I didn't go for jewelry that was eccentric but this stuff was fascinating. I was drawn more to the necklaces than anything else.

"Would you like one?" Clark asked when he noticed my hesitation to move away from the necklace display. It was a good thing Jason was temporarily distracted by the booth where you tossed rings at milk bottles next door.

I flushed. "I'd never wear it."

Clark raised a mocking eyebrow. "Lois?"

I was about to argue when another woman came over and started eyeing the necklace I wanted. I snatched it up. It was filled with variations of bronze gears and held a clock as the main piece in the shape of a key. I wanted it. Wordlessly, Clark pulled two twenties from his wallet and handed it over to the clerk behind the booth. My face flushed but Clark only kissed my temple before taking the necklace and putting it around my neck. I shivered as his hands gently swept my hair aside so he could clasp the back together.

"Thank you," I muttered. "You didn't have to get it."

"You wanted it," he said simply. Then he turned to Jason. "Want to go to the rides or do you want to play some games?"

Jason's eyes shone brighter when he looked in the distance where the rides could be seen. "Rides first?" he begged.

Clark grinned. "Sure thing, kiddo. Come on, Lois."

I absentmindedly fiddled with the necklace as we made our way through the crowd. My first piece of jewelry from Clark; why did that make me so giddy? Maybe it was because the thought that followed had to deal with the hope that this wouldn't be the last time.

For a town called Smallville there sure were a lot of people here. Then again, as Clark had explained, this was the one time all the farmers and their families from surrounding areas could be found in the town together. The trip into town usually took each farming family anywhere from one to four hours depending on how far out they lived. I couldn't imagine living that far out into the country with nothing but cornfields to keep me company. The Kent Farm was twenty minutes away and I thought that was long distance.

The closer we got to the rides, the more people began to notice Clark. Several times we were stopped by older folk who shook his hand and welcomed him home, asking him how his trip was. He'd always reply with a smile and a quick word. The old people would then stare at me and Jason but they wouldn't comment as they strode away. After being stopped five times, I did manage to see several old ladies gather around the one who'd just walked away from us. They huddled together and one of them pointed to me and then to Jason who was holding Clark's hand to keep from getting swept away in the crowd.

My eyes narrowed. "Small towns usually mean everyone gets in each other's business."

Clark smiled knowingly. His super hearing was probably picking up every ounce of the old ladies conversation. "Well, their assumptions are correct, Lois. Jason is our son. They don't know who you are, though they're guessing your some wild city girl since they've already noticed neither of us have a ring on our left hand."

I grimaced. "Great. If they scar Jason over this…"

Clark squeezed my hand. "Don't worry; he's too busy taking in all the sights to notice the gossip."

I continued to frown even though Clark was right. I just didn't like people judging us. I'd dealt with tabloid nonsense since Superman swept into my life but I didn't need my son to be exposed to it too. Not that I minded what the tabloid's said most of the time; they all had to do with me being Superman's woman. I'd been flattered when they first started printing the articles. Over the years, they got annoying until I finally became calloused towards them. Now they hardly affected me; real town gossip, however, was something different since the townspeople weren't talking about Superman but Clark and Jason. If there was one thing I wasn't going to tolerate, it was people messing with my boys. If I caught any snide comment, I'd give whoever spoke it a good knock in the jaw, literally or metaphorically depending on their age.

We reached the rides and Jason went giddy with excitement over the bumper cars. Clark bought Jason a wristband that allowed him to get on all the rides allowed for his height. Thus ensued almost four hours of standing off to the sideline watching our son ride every ride he could get on. Clark would lean against the railing, smiling as he watched his son's reactions to bumps, jumps, loops, and twirls. He looked like he was soaking in every moment. While he watched Jason, I watched him. His expression was soft but also protective. His eyes filled with silent laughter and fatherly warmth. A few times he'd place an arm around me and kiss the side of my head to let me know he knew I was there though he didn't take his eyes off Jason the whole time. I didn't mind. He'd already been robbed of most of Jason's firsts. In fact, I realized that this was the first time Jason had ever been on carnival rides. Clark was experiencing a first and from the look on his face, I was sure Jason had made him aware of that. No wonder he was so enthralled in watching his son. This was the first memory where Jason would remember he spent it with Clark as his father.

After Jason stepped off the bumper cars, he looked at the Ferris wheel. "Can we go on that one together?"

Clark looked at me. I smiled. "Sure. It'll be nice to get off my feet for a bit."

Clark looked guilty. "I'm sorry, Lois. We should have sat down at some of the benches."

I rolled my eyes. "And sit next to the overly hormonal teenagers who can't keep their lips to themselves? No thanks. Let's go."

After waiting in line for a minute, we got a compartment to ourselves and slowly began creeping up to the top. Jason looked around every which way, taking in Smallville at every angle. "It's not as big as Metropolis, is it, Mommy?"

I laughed. "This place is called Smallville for a reason, son."

Clark smirked. "It's farm country. The town's not meant to be big."

"Did you really grow up here?" Jason asked.

Clark nodded.

"Is this Festival always here?"

"No, it only happens once a year," Clark answered.

Jason pulled a face. "But…what do you do for fun the rest of the year?"

I snorted, breaking out into a riotous round of laughter.

"He's your son alright," Clark observed though he didn't seem miffed at all over the insult to his town.

I smirked. "I raised him right. The city is so much better than the country. Even you live in the city, Clark."

"Smallville doesn't really need Superman as much as Metropolis does. The townspeople take care of things here well enough on their own."

"I heard it didn't always used to be that way," I hedged. "Martha said your friend wrote a bunch of articles on the strange stuff that happened around here."

"What kind of strange stuff?" Jason asked curiously.

Clark frowned. "When I arrived here, a bunch of meteor rocks came with me, leaving devastation and kryptonite chunks all over the place. The radiation caused several…unique things to happen to humans, giving them strange powers. Unfortunately a lot of the people used those powers to do bad things and I had to stop them and make things right."

"I didn't know Kryptonite could harm humans," I said. "I've never had anything weird happen to me and I've been exposed to it plenty of times."

"You've also never had it go inside you," Clark pointed out. "It's not just getting exposed to it; it's having it enter your body in some way, whether through vapor, tainted water, liquid, or solid things."

I frowned. "That doesn't sound very safe."

"Exactly, which is why shortly after I met Bruce he cleared up most of Smallville from the meteor rocks."

"I don't remember hearing any news about Bruce Wayne heading a Kryptonite cleanup crew. How was it kept from the news?"

Clark smirked. "People in Gotham tend to overlook things. If Bruce wanted green rock for future company projects, who was to argue? He's a lunatic billionaire that wastes his money on trivial things as far as Gotham is concerned."

"Of course," I mused. "His playboy façade was the perfect cover up to get the job done. Where did he stash it all?"

"I'm not sure," Clark answered truthfully. "It's in a secure, lead-lined location though. That much he did assure me."

Alarmed, I looked at Clark and then at Jason. "Clark, you realize he might have all of it somewhere and can use it any time to kill you right?"

"Bruce would never use it against me."

I bit my lip. I liked Bruce but it was hard to completely trust him. He was Batman after all. His methods were sometimes rather…questionable. Clark noticed my discomfort. He took my hands. "Lois, he's my best friend. I trust him."

He was so sure, so faith-filled in his colleague, I couldn't help but nod. "Alright, Clark," I sighed. "I'll trust him too."

Clark kissed my forehead. "Thank you."

Our compartment reached the ground again and we got off. Heading over to the food section, we found auctions running for various pies and goodies. "Mom's pies always sell high," Clark muttered in my ear.

I looked around and found Martha sitting off to the side with several other farmers' wives. They all had the appearance of good humor but underneath you could feel that each one was pitted against each other. This was certainly a war of the most dangerous kind: whose pie would bid highest?

The auctioneer seemed to catch a whole new fire of enthusiasm when he raised Martha Kent's pies into the air. "Alright gentlemen, the famous Kent pies!" I noticed several old geezers stir out of their slight daze. "The last pie, made by Mrs. Mayfield, sold for three hundred twenty. Let's see how high we can go for Martha, huh?" the auctioneer said pleasantly.

"Two hundred!" a guy in the back yelled in a bright orange and brown plaid shirt.

"You're kidding," I muttered. "Two hundred dollars for a pie?"

Clark laughed lightly through his nose. "It's not just pie, Lois. It's pie made by my mother, who's famous for it. Nobody has the recipe but it's well known that her apple pie is the best in Smallville."

The bidding leapt to four hundred, surpassing Mrs. Mayfield's by a land slide. I was surprised. Usually when the bidding went that high it boiled down to two bidders but Martha's pie was still being fought over by five different men.

"Eight hundred dollars!" A man cried in the back, hushing the other bidders and the auctioneer.

Clark seemed to stiffen next to me a little in discomfort. "Clark?" I wondered.

"Later," he murmured.

"Eight hundred dollars," the auctioneer said. "Going…going…gone! Sold! Congrats Ben, I wasn't sure this wolf pit was ever going to settle down!"

I noticed Martha then. Was she _blushing?_ I looked at Ben who sent her a wink before marching forward to claim his prize. Eight hundred dollars for a pie? I looked from Martha, to Ben, to Clark. Obviously there was something more going on between Clark's mother and the man who bought her pie; who else would go to the lengths of buying a pie for so much? And seeing Clark uncomfortable wasn't a standard sight. He looked like he did back when he first saw me and Richard together. I frowned. Oh, yes, we'd really need to talk about this later.

Martha finally noticed us in the crowd and waved. We maneuvered over. "Congrats on the pie, Mom," Clark said, though his voice held a hint of discomfort.

If she noticed, Martha chose to ignore it. "Thanks, son. You wouldn't believe how many people have pulled me aside to ask who the lovely brunette and child are you're with."

Clark ran a hand through his hair. The Superman curl fell over his forehead and I immediately pushed it back into its hiding place. Clark raised an eyebrow. "What? We don't want people putting two and two together," I said.

He smirked. "Lois, if you haven't noticed, I'm not even wearing glasses."

I gasped, realizing this for the first time. "Why did you leave them behind?" I hissed.

"Lois, I don't wear glasses in Smallville."

"But…but won't people notice?"

Clark shrugged. "They haven't for years. I keep the curl hidden of course but Smallville's the one place where I can shed the glasses and be more of myself."

"We should come to Smallville a lot in the future," I muttered under my breath.

Clark chuckled.

"Grandma, do you have any more pie?" Jason asked, tugging on Martha's jeans.

Several older women in the vicinity gasped and looked from Jason to Clark to Lois to Martha and back again. Ignoring them all, Martha lifted Jason up easily and kissed his cheek. "Of course I do, sweetheart. Would you like to try some?"

Jason's grin was exactly identical to Clark's back at the office. "Please!" he cried.

Clark put his arm around me and openly displayed affection by kissing my hair. "Looks like our little family is going to be the top gossip in town for a while."

"Don't they have anything better to talk about?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

Clark shrugged. "It's a small town. Unlike the city, when there's gossip, it tends to linger."

"I knew I preferred Metropolis," I grumbled.

Clark laughed. "Mom, I'm going to take Lois for a stroll. Do you mind staying with your grandma, son?"

Jason shook his head, his fingers and mouth already covered in blackberry pie residue. "Go ahead, Daddy," he said between mouthfuls.

Both of us laughed from how cute he looked. Clark kept his smile until we were well away from the food contest section. A sigh escaped his lips. I looked over at him. His brow was slightly furrowed. Could it be possible that the anxiety I had kept bottled up inside since learning about the Daily Planet was also bothering him too? Or was he stressing about something else?

"Clark?"

"Not here," he muttered, "Too many ears."

He led me away from the high school towards a tall cornfield. A large sign read: CORN MAZE in bright red letters. A girl, probably in high school, sat with her feet propped up at a booth, her nose buried in The Rocket, a famous Metropolis teen magazine. She blew a rather large bubble as Clark handed over five dollars. "Enjoy yourselves," she muttered with a wave of her hand, her nose still buried in the magazine.

"I thought this was an attraction reserved for the night time," I said as Clark slipped his hand through mine.

"It is," he said, "which is why right now it's the perfect place to have a private conversation. Nobody's in here but us."

I found it slightly unnerving how quiet it was in the maze. The corn did a great job at masking out the sounds of laughter from the attractions next door. Clark led me passed several large haystacks – probably stopping points for couples to make out – and through several turns before speaking again.

"Jason's putting on a good front," he said.

I faltered in my steps. "What do you mean?"

Clark sighed, stopping finally to lean against a haystack. He definitely looked like a farm boy with that for a background – _a very attractive farm boy. Wow, easy Lane! We're talking about our son! This is no time to fantasize!_

"He cries every night," Clark revealed.

"What?" I asked incredulously. "Why haven't I ever heard?"

"He waits until both you and mom are asleep and I leave to do my evening rounds. I don't think he's comprehended that even though I'm not there physically I can still hear."

"He misses Richard," I guessed.

Clark nodded, once more running his hand through his hair, revealing the curl. I didn't move it this time. We were alone after all. "It's my fault."

"Clark, don't," I said forcefully. "Richard left us after he found out about Jason's true parentage. He abandoned us."

"And I did no less?"

I rolled my eyes. "Clark, the difference is that you didn't know! If you had, you never would have left for Krypton. We both know that."

He didn't argue but it didn't remove the sadness in his eyes. "I really messed things up. I love Jason but I know Richard does too. He misses him. He misses both of you."

"You've seen him?" I asked, slightly upset, my last encounter with my ex-fiancé resurfacing in my mind.

Clark took my hand and played with my fingers. "He thinks you've chosen Superman."

"Well he's wrong," I said vigorously. "I chose Clark Kent. There's a difference; Superman's just an added bonus to the package."

Clark smiled though it was still strained. He continued to play with my fingers. "Lois, if he sees you with me, he might leap to the wrong conclusions."

"What? You think he might accuse me of using you?" Clark didn't meet my eyes but his hands stilled. "You really think he'd do that?" I asked, shocked.

Clark finally met my gaze. "Put it this way," he explained kindly, "Richard knows that Jason is Superman's son and that you couldn't continue your relationship with him because Superman had returned. You break up with him, he thinks you're with Superman, and then you show up at the office in a full courtship with Clark Kent. Richard can take that either two ways. One, he could link us as one in the same person or two, which is more likely, he'll think you're using me so that Jason will have a father figure while his real father is away."

Anger licked my insides from the very thought. "How could he think I'm that shallow?"

"Jealousy blinds even the best of men, Lois," Clark replied wisely.

I sighed. "This is so stupid."

"We need to decide what we're going to do," said Clark as he leaned back against the haystack again, this time pulling me with him. I leaned against his chest with my back to him, my hands over his which were resting over my hips.

"What do you think we should do?" I asked.

Clark didn't answer at first. He seemed to have been giving this a lot of thought. After a long pause, he sighed again, resting his chin on top of my head. "As things stand, Jason isn't happy – not the way I'd like him to be. He's old enough to understand that I'm his father and that you're happy with me. He's okay with us being together due to that understanding. What he can't understand is why you're not with Richard too when both he and I are his fathers."

"He thinks I can live with both of you?" I asked, a little disturbed by the thought of sharing a bed with both Clark and Richard. "I'm not a prostitute, Clark."

Clark grinned, hearing the sarcasm in my tone. "I don't think Jason even knows what a prostitute is."

I snorted. "In his childlike mind, he's made me out to be one."

Clark laughed. "I think he just wants the reassurance that Richard is still going to be part of his life. Lois, the man did raise him from birth."

I sighed. If I hadn't been so angry with Richard over that dinner conversation, I think I wouldn't be putting up much of a fight over him being involved in our son's life. Clark squeezed me gently, "You need to forgive him for what he said, Lois."

I stiffened. "You were listening?"

"No," Clark replied with perfect clarity, his voice smooth. "I've been around you long enough to know when you're holding a grudge."

I deflated, my Grudge-Wall crumbling. "Nothing gets past you, does it, Smallville?"

Clark kissed my hair again. "Afraid not, sweetheart."

I let my eyes linger on a ladybug that was slowly creeping its way along a strand of corn. "Are you okay with sharing him, Clark?" I asked in a whisper.

Clark pulled me around to face him. His blue eyes stared back at me unblinking. "I am. Jason needs all three of his parents, Lois. Not only is it fair but I feel very strongly that it's the right thing to do."

He leaned in to kiss me then but then pushed me into the haystack with such force that I was buried inside it within seconds.

"Who are you?" I heard him demand in his Superman voice.

Peeking out of the small opening, I looked up to see a woman straddling a floating skateboard. A pair of skull headphones rested on her orange tinted neck over a black and green leather laced outfit. Combat boots lined with green laces raced up to her thighs, revealing a small set of skin between them and her short shorts. Chains hung all over her from her belt to the pockets over her chest. Bracelets with metal studs hung loosely around her wrists. Her ears were pierced with three different sized gauges. Her orange skin complimented her black hair and purple eyes. I wouldn't have been too intimidated by her if I hadn't seen the sword strapped to her back; it was as twice as big as she was and probably weighed a couple hundred tons.

"The names Harasona K-I, handsome," she said, slipping off her floating skateboard into the maze. "But you can call me Harasona for short. I've gotta say, your picture doesn't do you justice."

Her purple eyes looked Clark's figure up and down. It was then that I realized he'd changed into his suit. Clark remained on his guard. "Harasona, what do you mean by 'my picture'?"

Harasona picked a folded up paper from her chest and smoothed it out, displaying it to Superman. My eyes widened in disbelief. It was a wanted poster. The writing was illegible to me but even I could tell that was what it was. There was a series of numbers across the bottom, signifying a price.

"You've got a bounty on your head, handsome," Harasona informed, "and I'm here to collect."

Superman raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I won't be traveling with you any time soon, miss."

"Oh and he's a gentleman! Even better!" Harasona grinned, her body language incredibly obvious.

I found myself burning inside. _He's taken!_ I thought savagely. _So get your filthy thoughts out of the gutter you orange skinned space trash._

Superman stood straight, obviously observing how to take care of this without alerting the rest of Smallville that he was in their midst. Harasona yanked out her two ton sword with grace. She stepped forward but Superman held up a hand.

"Yes?" she asked.

Superman gave her one of his trademark smiles. It captivated her, just like he'd hoped. "Before you try to collect me, may I ask why I'm on an intergalactic wanted poster?"

"You're the last Kryptonian in the universe, right?" Harasona asked, a little unsure.

Superman raised an eyebrow. "What if I wasn't?"

"But you are!" she said, holding out the flyer. "You're even wearing the outfit! It has to be you!" She looked from the paper to Superman and back again before folding it up, a wicked grin appearing on her orange face. "Oh, you were trying to trick me. Clever…I find that even more attractive. I'm glad I found you first, Kryptonian. I'm sure we'll be able to _play_ together before I turn you in to collect the reward."

The last bit of her words sent my blood boiling. "If she doesn't keep her ridiculous advances to herself, I'm going to take that sword and finish her off myself," I whispered so softly only Superman heard me.

I noticed his lips lift in a slight smirk. "You didn't answer my question," he said.

Harasona sighed. "Alright, fine, I don't know, okay? I'm a bounty hunter. I don't get caught up in the technicalities. I just do the job and collect the cash."

And without a second's pause, she threw her sword. Superman expected it to be like any other sword so he was unprepared when it split and transformed into a metal based rope, wrapping around him like a snake. Within seconds he was bound from his ankles all the way up to his neck. Harasona smiled triumphantly and began to walk towards her prize when Superman spun on his heel, creating a small tornado. The metal rope unwound at his feet.

Harasona's eyes widened. "Nobody said you had powers!"

Superman grinned confidently. "I guess they should have put a warning label on that poster."

Harasona held up her hand and the coiled metal rope flew into her fingers, transforming back into her metal blade as it did so. The bounty hunter threw the sword; as it traveled through the air, it morphed into a javelin. Superman grabbed it without effort and tossed it to the side. Harasona scowled, baring a set of greenish fangs. Leaping onto her floating skateboard, she took to the sky and produced a giant metal-looking ball.

"Let's see you survive this one, Kryptonian!" she cried, launching the ball towards the cornfield.

Superman's eyes widened. Somehow I knew it was an explosive from the look of alarm on his face. I watched him take to the air, alerting the people of Smallville immediately of his and the strange bounty hunter's presence. Harasona's expression was one of complete shock as she witnessed Superman catch the explosive and redirect it straight at her. Her shock was probably the only reason why the explosive actually hit its target. Harasona's burnt profile fell off her skateboard, her body plummeting towards the cornfield below. Superman swooped down and caught her. By this time people were fighting to get into the maze. Superman stayed airborne.

I had struggled my way out of the haystack; I'm sure I looked quite the sight with stray bits of straw sticking all over in my hair. I met Superman's eyes. Obviously he wanted to rush down to me but it would be too much of a giveaway. Sighing, I whispered, "I'll meet you back at the high school."

Without a word or a nod, Superman turned towards the school, carrying the still form of Harasona K-I in his strong arms. The floating skateboard seemed to glide behind them and the sword reappeared on Harasona's back halfway to their destination. The people of Smallville watched as he flew through the air towards the open soccer field just adjacent to the occupied football field. They followed him down on the ground, eager to get a chance to look at the Man of Steel in real life; never before had the hero come to Smallville (to their knowledge).

Superman set Harasona down on the ground, flew over to a cow x-ing sign, removed the yellow diamond, and twisted the metal as easy as a child playing with putty around the bounty hunter's wrists. Ignoring the oncoming crowd, he pulled out his phone and called Batman.

"Aren't you supposed to be enjoying a festival?" the gruff voice answered without so much as a hello. It was obvious that Bruce was on the job.

"Batman, we've run into some trouble."

"In Smallville? Can't you handle it?"

"This is a… _intergalactic_ concern."

A pause. "I'll call in the others. We'll be there in ten minutes."

Not even bothering to ask how his colleagues would arrive so quickly, Superman hung up the phone and turned to find the entire populace of Smallville staring at him. Sheriff Anderson, an older gentleman Clark remembered from his youth, stepped forward. He still had his full barbershop mustache but the blonde coloring was now coated with silver.

"Mr. Superman," he said hesitantly, uncertainly, "um, is there anything we can do, sir?"

Superman smiled. "I apologize for interrupting your celebrations, Sheriff."

"Oh, not at all," Sheriff Anderson replied though he still seemed apprehensive. Superman understood why; he was sure the man was wondering what everyone else was: what was he doing in Smallville?

"I don't usually find myself out in the Mid West," – unmistakably, he heard a snort that belonged to Lois – "But the fight came here. Again, I apologize for any damage to the corn maze."

Before anyone could say a word, a sonic boom shook the earth. Several people screamed as an ominous ship the size of Smallville High appeared in the air. Superman looked up with a questioning eyebrow. "Now there's one way to make an entrance," he muttered. The ship landed a couple hundred feet away and once the doors opened, a figure clad in red came tumbling down the platform, throwing up into the grass.

"I'm never riding in that thing again," Flash shouted as he wiped his mouth.

"Are you kidding? That was fun!" Wonder Woman exclaimed as she and Martian Manhunter appeared next.

"Flash just can't handle being in the air," Green Lantern joked.

"Whatever!" Flash retorted. "Aquaman didn't much enjoy the experience either."

"That's because fish aren't meant to fly," Green Arrow joked, prodding a green faced Aquaman softly in the arm.

Batman tromped down the platform without pause, moving straight over to where Superman and the rest of a very stunned crowd stood waiting. The others followed after Batman, silently finding the townspeople's shock amusing.

"You called?" Batman prompted once he reached Superman.

Superman stepped aside to reveal Harasona. Green Lantern was the only one who gasped out of all of them.

"You know her?" Flash asked.

"Know her? She's a bounty hunter," Green Lantern revealed. "She's wanted in three sectors, mine being one of them. What on earth was she doing here?"

Superman eyed the civilians. He didn't want it to become publicly known that he had an intergalactic bounty on his head. Batman seemed to take the hint. "Let's discuss this once we get her into proper custody."

Everyone else seemed to understand silently that this was neither the place nor the time for further discussion. It was dangerous enough to have all of them show up in the town where Superman grew up. The less time they spent here, the better. Producing a floating green jail cell, Green Lantern waited while Superman placed the bounty hunter inside.

"Thanks for calling us," Wonder Woman said. "Are there any other threats that need to be taken care of?"

Superman listened and did a quick scan of the air, ground, and earth beneath. "Nothing that I can see," he answered.

"Alright," said Batman, already stalking back to the jet. "We'll regroup later." Then he added under his breath, "We'll regroup back at the Batcave in an hour. See you there, Clark."

Superman turned back to handle the Smallville crowd. They all seemed awed that not only one but eight superheroes had graced their town. "Again, we apologize for disturbing," Superman said. "This was an intergalactic affair that unfortunately decided to make a scene in this discreet location. Any damage done we'll be sure to rectify."

"Oh, uh, don't worry about it, Superman," Sheriff Anderson said, apparently the only one in the crowd who could find his voice.

"Are you sure?" Superman pressed.

"Yes, we'll be fine," he assured.

Superman looked at the crowd and sent them a warm smile. Stepping forward, he shook Sheriff Anderson's hand. "Thank you for your cooperation," Superman said. The sheriff had lost his voice. Stepping back, keeping his smile firmly in place, Superman leapt into the sky, disappearing into the distance in a matter of seconds.

The crowd erupted.


	11. Wanted

11: Wanted

"I can't believe it!" a young teenager swooned in my ear. "Superman in Smallville! He's even hotter in person than on TV."

Her friend next to her giggled. "Did you see his muscles?! I'd kill to have the opportunity to be in those arms."

I smirked. _Dream on, girly._

I was standing in the middle of the crowd, listening to the various conversations about the superhero visitation. People could hardly believe that not only Superman but all the other known and rather famous heroes had appeared in their small farm town to take down an intergalactic threat. I myself was worried. Clark had a bounty on his head. How had that even happened? He hadn't ticked anybody off in his space travels, had he? I bit my lip. A sudden hand grasped my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Clark!" I breathed, throwing my arms instinctively around his shoulders.

"You weren't worried, were you?" he asked calmly.

"How can you ask me that?" I whispered into his neck. "A bounty hunter from space tried to blow you up with a space explosive. Good thing you're invulnerable. Why would anyone place a bounty on you?"

Clark shrugged as I pulled away from him. "I'm not sure," he answered honestly. "I have to meet up with the others in less than hour in Gotham."

Before I could respond, a pleasant female voice spoke behind him. "Clark Kent, fancy seeing you here."

Clark smiled broadly as he turned around. "Chloe! Long time no see!" he replied cheerfully.

The blonde standing in front of us had a cheery disposition, her short hair sticking up in all directions. A pair of kind blue eyes shown from her pale complexion and her smile displayed a set of fairly perfect white teeth. Though petite in stature, I had a feeling that she held a huge amount of strength under the surface similar to my own.

After a moment of staring, she leapt into Clark's arms, embracing him warmly. Both of them laughed, happy to see each other. Chloe pulled away, staring at Clark with a mixture of admiration and love. Clark turned to me and made introductions.

"Chloe, this is my girlfriend, Lois Lane."

Chloe shook my hand. She didn't seem in the least surprised to hear my name. "I'm glad I finally get to meet the famous Lois Lane," she said kindly. "I love your articles. They inspire me."

"Thanks," I said.

"I have to say you have an unfair advantage in getting interviews with a certain someone," Chloe said, elbowing Clark. "Think that you can ask if he'd be willing to sit down with me?"

Clark answered before I could. "I think he's sworn only to have one press agent, Chloe."

I beamed, unable to hide my pleasure.

Chloe smirked. "Figured as much," she said in good humor. Then her face became serious. "We need to talk, Clark."

Both of us knew that she wanted to get the scoop of what just happened, not as a reporter but as a concerned friend. Clark sighed. "I have to talk to my other friends first, Chloe. How about you and Lois go back to the farm? I'll be back in less than an hour, I'm sure."

It was at that moment that Martha and Jason appeared.

"Clark, are you alright?" Martha asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, mom."

"Daddy!"

Chloe's eyes widened. "Wow, is that a little Clark in your arms, Mrs. Kent?"

"Chloe! What a nice surprise!" Martha said, handing Jason over to Clark. "What brings you here?"

"I decided to come home for the festival," Chloe answered, her eyes on Jason.

"He's our son," I said, feeling the need to make it known there was more to my relationship with Clark than merely being his girlfriend. Having a child was definitely a sign that ours was a deeper relationship than a steady couple.

Chloe looked from me to Clark with raised eyebrows and a hint of hurt. "I didn't know," she said, trying to keep the hurt from her voice.

"Neither did I until Clark got back from his trip," Martha revealed.

"What?" Chloe said, looking from Martha to Clark to me to Jason and back again. She then turned solely on Clark with a hardened expression. "It looks like you've got a lot of explaining to do."

"When I get back," Clark promised, "I'll explain everything."

"Are you okay Daddy?" Jason asked, oblivious to anything else except making sure his dad was alright.

"I'm fine, son," Clark assured.

"Who was she? Was she a bad guy?"

"Yes but the others will make sure she doesn't come back."

Jason relaxed. "Okay, good."

Clark kissed Jason on the cheek. "I have to go meet them for a while. Can you watch over mommy and grandma until I get back?"

Jason puffed out his chest. "You can count on me!"

Clark smiled with fatherly warmth. He kissed me gently before blending in with the crowd.

Chloe looked at me curiously. "Mind getting to know each other while we wait?" she asked.

I smiled. "Sure if you don't mind sharing embarrassing stories about Clark."

Chloe grinned. "Oh, I don't think that will be much of a problem."

I picked up Jason and followed Martha and Chloe as we headed back to the truck on the other side of town.

888

Superman flew through the Batcave's waterfall five minutes later. The others were already waiting for him. Harasona was still out cold, lying on the floor of the green cell. The moment he touched down, Green Lantern began the meeting.

"So would you like to explain why an intergalactic bounty hunter came after you, Superman?"

They were using their titles for the sake of identities; it would be unwise to speak otherwise when in the presence of an enemy conscious or not. Superman walked passed them, reached in and pulled out the wanted poster sticking out of Harasona's pocket.

"I think this will at least answer part of that question," he said, holding it up.

"A wanted poster?" Green Arrow wondered.

"What have you done to make someone place five hundred thousand kellonias on you?" Green Lantern inquired, looking up from the poster.

"Kello-what?" Flash said.

"Kellonias," Green Lantern repeated. "It's space money equivalent to two million dollars on Earth."

"Holy sea cows," Aquaman muttered. "What did you do, Superman?"

"I haven't done anything," he said, slightly affronted that his colleagues would suspect him of any kind of crime.

"You didn't bump into someone's spaceship while on your way back here, did you?" Manhunter asked.

"No. I didn't see anyone or anything on my way back. I honestly have no clue as to why someone would put a bounty on my head."

"Says here that you're wanted for being the last Kryptonian," Green Lantern revealed, reading the fine print.

"You can read that?" Flash asked. "How? It's alien."

"I'm an intergalactic cop, Flash. When I became the Green Lantern I was downloaded with everything needed to do the job, including knowledge of every alien language known in the universe."

Everyone's eyebrows raised upon that revelation.

"Does that include Kryptonian?" Superman asked, speaking in his native tongue.

"Yes," Green Lantern replied in Kryptonian to prove it.

"How about Martian?" Manhunter asked, using his own language.

"Yes, that too," he answered in the same tongue used by the Manhunter.

"Cool," Flash said.

"That will definitely come in handy," Batman muttered. "But for now, what else does the warrant say, Lantern?"

Green Lantern looked down at the poster again. "All it says is that the last Kryptonian is wanted and dwells on Earth located in Sector 2814. Payment will be five hundred thousand kellonias upfront."

"It doesn't say why he's wanted?" Batman further probed.

Green Lantern shook his head. "This isn't a bounty made by the Corps."

"How do you know?" asked Green Arrow.

"It doesn't have our seal for one," he answered pointing in the corner where the seal would be, "and for another, this is my sector. I write out the wanted posters for criminals. This particular wanted poster was made under the counter which means it's a private sum. Somebody has an issue with you, Superman."

"You're saying whoever is responsible for this is like a space mafia boss or something?" Flash suggested.

"Could be anybody," Green Lantern said, "but usually posters like this come from scum like that, yes."

Superman put a hand on one hip and ran the other through his hair, openly showing his frustration. "Great, someone wants to collect me for a ransom and I haven't the foggiest clue of who it could be."

"We might have an idea," Batman said.

Superman cocked an eyebrow. "Really? Who?"

"The guy who's left the footprints might possibly be it. The traces were alien after all."

"Or they might be another bounty hunter," Superman pointed out.

"If they were, I don't think they'd start fires on the places you cared about without you being there," Batman argued. "Those seemed more like threats to me."

Superman shrugged. "You've got a point there, I guess."

"So what are we going to do about bad tan girl?" Flash asked, pointing to Harasona.

"I'll be returning her to her people," answered Green Lantern. "She's wanted the most there after all. I should be back tomorrow if I set out now."

"What's the probability of others trying to finish what she started?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Fairly high," Green Lantern said reluctantly. "Superman, I know you usually handle things yourself but with an intergalactic bounty on your head, Earth is going to have a lot of unwanted visitors. You shouldn't be alone."

Superman wasn't at all happy about that but it couldn't be helped. "As much as I hate the idea, I understand and support it," he sighed. "Besides, if I'm in danger, my family is as well and their safety is more important to me than my personal wellbeing."

"I'll stay with you," Wonder Woman offered. "Our strengths are fairly equal and combined should be able to keep the bigger threats away from you."

"I'll help out too," Manhunter volunteered. "My abilities have several advantages."

"I'll work from the shadows whenever I can," Green Arrow offered.

"So will I," Batman muttered.

"I suppose I can leave my city and head over if you need me to," Flash said grinning.

"The seas will swallow anyone you can get in the water," Aquaman promised.

Superman looked at all of them. "Are you sure? Each one of you has your own cities and villains to take care of."

"Superman, don't try to talk us out of this," Green Arrow said. "If you were taken, can you imagine how much harder our lives would be? We all can't deny that since you've returned things have gotten easier on us."

Superman saw in their faces that Green Arrow had spoken the truth though none of the other heroes wanted to admit it. Touched with the realization that his efforts were such a help to them, he bowed his head. With all the other emotional problems he had to deal with, it was an enormous relief to have support with this new threat. "Thank you," he said humbly.

"Don't worry, Superman, we'll work together to figure out who's behind this and get rid of the posters as soon as possible," Green Lantern assured.

888

I hadn't been at all happy when Clark revealed the full details of the wanted poster. The most frustrating thing was that I couldn't do anything about it! If it had been a ransom from Earth I could at least sniff around to find out who was the perpetrator but intergalactic space warrants were way beyond my reach. The only connection we had to figuring out who was the mastermind behind all of this was Green Lantern and he was gone delivering Harasona to her people.

Thank goodness Jason was totally oblivious to this new threat. The last thing he needed was the knowledge that his super dad was in danger. That would only escalate his emotional trauma. I heaved a heavy sigh as I remembered Richard. I didn't want to have to handle _that_ can of worms but there was no way to avoid it; the first thing we were going to do when returning to work tomorrow was tell Richard the truth. It was Clark's decision since it was his secret at stake but he'd been kind enough to ask my opinion. Though I didn't like it, it was better for Richard to know than trying to make up excuses for the rest of our lives.

By the time we were flying back to Metropolis, my nerves were fried. Jason was asleep in the chair next to me. Clark was sitting uncomfortably in the aisle seat. I remembered his journal entry about how much he hated planes. His hands were clasped very tightly around the arm rests; so much so that I was afraid he'd bend the metal. Every time the plane shook under the least bit of turbulence he'd close his eyes and bring his hands into fists.

After the tenth turbulent shake, I put my hand comfortingly on his arm. "Clark, are you okay?"

"Do I have to answer?" he muttered between clenched teeth. "I hate flying like this. I have no control."

I smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry you have to go through with this."

"I know, it's for appearances," Clark muttered. "It can't be helped. Although I can't deny I'm incredibly jealous of Wonder Woman right now."

I glanced out the window. The heroine was flying outside the plane but at a distance that made her look like a bird to anyone who dared look out the window. She was on guard duty. As much as I appreciated the other heroes help, I was still wary around Wonder Woman. For some stupid reason I felt like I needed to double my affections towards Clark when she was around. Was I afraid he'd lose interest in me with her around? Secretly the answer was yes. Don't get me wrong, I feel very confident in myself but even I knew my limits. I didn't have super powers. Unconsciously I tightened my hold on Clark's forearm.

"Lois?"

I noticed him looking at me with an amused smirk. "What?" I snapped defensively.

"I love you," he said. "That won't change, no matter what. Remember what I said before? I'm forever _yours_ and yours _alone_."

I sighed feeling stupid over him being able to read me so easily. "How do you do that?" I muttered.

"Do what?" he teased.

He knew perfectly well what! He was messing with me, that cheeky farm boy! "I swear sometimes you can read my mind."

Clark laughed. "I've had plenty of time to study you from a distance, Lois. I can usually tell what mood you're in when you express rather noticeable body language."

"If I didn't love you, I'd think you were a stalker in need of a restraining order," I joked.

Clark smiled. "You think that would have stopped me?"

I shivered. He'd spoken in that rich baritone voice, his true pitch. My heart picked up and he of course had to laugh over it. "Shut up, Smallville," I muttered, blushing.

Clark leaned over Jason to kiss my hair. "Whatever you say, Miss Lane," he whispered in his Superman tone.

"Will you stop that?!" I hissed, my palpitations skyrocketing. "We're on a plane, Clark!"

Clark only continued to laugh, closing his eyes. "Thank you, Lois," he said after a while.

"For what?" I asked still a little testy from the earlier banter.

"For calming me down," he revealed, eyes still closed. "I was about to lose it there. Your heartbeat is soothing."

I blushed. A small smile lingered on Clark's face as he listened to my pulse pick up. Gall, did he have to be so darn attractive?! He could cause the most ridiculous tirade of emotions to flow through me in five seconds. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster, one second annoyed, the next feeling like a pile of lovey-dovey jelly about to fall through the cracks. And the most inane thing about it all was I enjoyed every minute of it! This man; he was the master of my wild spirit but there was no way I'd ever let him hear me say it. As far as I was concerned, I had just as much control over him as he had over me. And that realization made our whole relationship one longed for and seriously desired lifestyle in my opinion. I knew that I'd never be able to live this thrillingly with any other man. Clark was definitely the missing piece to my life.

I thought again of the unknown threat that wanted to take him away from me. Well, if they wanted to take him, they'd have to take me too. I refused to be separated from him. I'd break if he disappeared again. I think the only reason I survived the last time he left was because he'd erased my memories. If I'd retained everything, I don't think I would have been able to find any whole happiness, just bits and pieces. I'd only survived as well as I did because I had Jason. Even though I wasn't sure he was Clark's those five years, he had given me the reasons to keep going when I wanted to give up. He was one of the greatest miracles in my life, a priceless treasure. And Clark was the crowned jewel of that treasure. Both of them together completed my puzzle. My whole world revolved around the two boys sitting with me on this plane and oh, how I loved them! If anything or anyone tried to take them away from me, I'd resort to any means necessary to keep them safe – consequences or no consequences.

After another thirty minutes, we began the descent into Metropolis. Clark's hands balled into fists again. "Just focus on my heart," I whispered, blushing furiously.

He nodded, a small smile crossing his distressed expression. We landed ten minutes later and Clark actually made an audible sigh of relief. I could tell his agitation to get out of the plane was mounting to the breaking point the longer we had to wait for the pilots to give us the all clear. When everyone started moving into the aisles, I could see he was barely containing his desire to use his super speed and flee from the plane. He did have the courtesy of getting our carryon bags from above and wait with incredible patience as older individuals shuffled down the aisle ahead of us. I carried Jason down the aisle, following in Clark's wake.

"Finally!" Clark exclaimed as he stepped into the main part of the airport. "I'm never riding in an airplane again. If we have to keep up appearances, I'll tell Perry I'm going by car. I'll leave three days early if I have to. I'm never ever getting on one of those stupid man made contraptions ever again!"

I chuckled but hushed him. "Shhh, Clark, you'll wake Jason."

Clark looked down at his son apologetically. "Sorry. I wish we could have stayed the night in Smallville but with everything going on…"

"It's best not to draw the crooks to the town," I finished. "I know. Part of me wanted to stay too. Chloe and I were becoming fast friends and I already miss Martha and all her wisdom."

"I know," Clark sighed. "At least Chloe promised to take some vacation time in December for Christmas. Mom's flying in too…along with Ben…"

"Clark, about Ben –"

"Mom likes him and if she's happy then I'm happy," Clark interrupted very unhappily.

I raised an eyebrow. Wow, sore subject. "Clark," I tried again as he went out and hailed a cab with his loud whistle, "you're lying."

Clark deflated as a cab pulled up. Getting inside, Clark gave the driver _my _address. I hadn't even thought about how sleeping arrangements would work. Was Clark going to stay with us?

"It's hard to picture my mother with someone else," Clark admitted, taking me out of my thoughts. "She and my dad were so close and… I cherish their relationship. For most of my life they've been the only family I've had. So seeing my mom with someone else…"

"Taints the memories?" I guessed.

"Yeah," he admitted, shifting uncomfortably. "Deep down I'm happy for her but I also feel betrayed. Smallville used to be the only place I could really go where I didn't have to hide myself. But now that Ben's always around, I have to pretend at home just like everywhere else."

I took his hand and squeezed. "Have you ever considered filling him in?" I looked at the driver. Cabbies were notorious to listening to gossip; they made good sources in that regard.

Clark shrugged. "Everyone has secrets that should be kept behind closed doors until trust is established."

"And you don't trust your mother's new boyfriend?"

Clark's frown deepened. "Yes…but…"

I smiled. Clark had a reputation for being quite a good reader of people's character. This wasn't a question of whether or not Ben could be trusted. This was a situation where Clark had to be willing to allow another man into his life, another father-like figure. I knew exactly how he was feeling.

We reached my apartment. Clark took care of the bags while I paid the fair before lifting a sleeping Jason back into my arms. We went inside as the cab pulled away. "Clark, come up to my apartment for a bit," I invited. "I just want to share something with you. Then you can be on your way."

"Okay," he said a little nervously.

I didn't know why he was suddenly being so cautious. He'd been in my apartment before as Superman. Heck, we'd even had hot chocolate together! But…we hadn't been together then. Maybe he was nervous because now there was nothing really standing between us to prevent us from doing whatever we wanted – except for our morals.

With years of practice of being a mother with her arms full, I managed to juggle Jason and unlock the apartment in record time. Clark was silently impressed as he followed me inside. After putting Jason in bed, I found Clark sitting on my sofa, deep in thought.

I sat down and curled my legs up, leaning into him. He welcomed the gesture by putting an arm around my shoulders. "You know, when I first started getting close to Perry, I started putting up a wall," I began. Clark listened silently beside me. "Most people think it was solely because I didn't want another father in my life but that was only a partial truth. To be honest, I was afraid that if I let Perry shower me with fatherly affection that I'd look at him more as my father than my real father. That terrified me. I don't get along with my dad but I was able to see that he had a deep love for his family in the way he always made sure to support us. He never displayed an interest in our lives personally but I never once had to go without a meal or have to wear the same clothes to school every day. He also chased off every boy who was interested in me and at the time I thought it was because he hated me but looking back I can see that he was just overprotective of his little girl.

"I didn't recognize his strange way of showing affection until after I'd moved out and started going to college. My mom died just before that and my dad had become so stern that I couldn't stand living with him anymore. I left on bad terms but he did often show up at random times with an excuse of being in town on business when in reality he was there to check up on how I was doing. I still don't really talk to him except for the holidays, birthdays, and the anniversary of mom's passing. But I like those times because even though he's the most pig-headed man I have ever met and doesn't ever openly display fatherly affection, I know he'd take a bullet for me without question.

"When Perry came into the picture and started to actually show fatherly affection for me in little ways like he still does today, I was worried that if I let him in, he'd replace my dad. But, you know what, Clark? I decided to take a chance on him because I realized that my father won't ever be able to be replaced. He'll always be my dad no matter what. But that doesn't mean I can't have other men in my life to watch out for me and be there when I need advice. Perry's closer to me than my father will ever be but he's not my dad.

"I guess it's like Jonathan Kent and Jor-El. They're both your dad but Jonathan will always be number one to you. Jor-El may have given you life and all the knowledge you need but Jonathan gave you love and helped to shape you into the man you are today. Ben won't replace him, Clark. He's a good man with sound advice, even I can see that and I only spent time around him for four hours waiting for you to return from that meeting. And besides, I'm sure your mother wouldn't date an idiot."

Clark was silent for a long moment, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat, nearly drifting off to sleep. After a short doze, Clark squeezed me gently and kissed the top of my head. "Thank you, Lois," he muttered.

I looked up at him. "For what?"

He smiled. "For reassuring me that I won't lose my dad."

I smiled back. "So, are you going to tell him?"

Clark nodded. "Yes, but not tonight. The next time I check in I will."

"And when will that be?"

"I try to see my mother once a week," he said, "usually on the weekends. She's been rather adamant about me visiting weekly since the hospital."

I nodded in complete understanding. "She's a mother. I can understand her reason for concern. You're a good son, Clark. I hope that your son follows in your footsteps."

Clark chuckled. "I should probably get going."

"You're not going to stay?" I said, unable to hide my disappointment.

Clark kissed my cheek tenderly. "I want to do this the right way, Lois. You and I both know it wouldn't be proper for me to stay here when our son is in the next room."

I blushed at the thought of Jason accidentally walking in us. I wasn't happy about it but I had to agree that Clark was right. "I understand," I sighed.

Clark leaned down and chastely kissed my lips in a similar fashion of how we'd first kissed before I knew his secret. Our kissing had been so deep lately that I forgot the sweetness of simplicity. It stirred and satisfied me in a way that the deep kisses didn't. It was good to experience simple once in a while. Clark pulled away but only just enough for our noses to touch. I saw my reflection in his beautiful blue eyes. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I muttered back, my brain slightly fogging. Goodness, he smelled good. I was becoming intoxicated by him and he hadn't even done anything but give me a simple kiss! If he didn't get out of my apartment I was going to do everything in my power to seduce him into my bedroom. He seemed to take the hint because he stood up, taking me with him. He led me to my door, kissed me just as chastely as he had on the couch, whispered his love one more time, and left.

The moment the door closed, I turned my back against the wall and leaned against it, closing my eyes in ecstasy. I stayed that way for quite some time before I willed myself to move into my room and crawl under my covers. I pulled my pillow close, my thoughts completely on Clark. Already, I longed for his closeness. Even though we'd been in separate rooms when in Smallville, we were still at least in the same house. Now that we had returned to Metropolis, he stayed in an apartment that was clear across the city. I sighed. This was a new kind of cruelty. Hang waiting; I was prepared to rush off to Vegas! Anything, if I could have him close again. After a while, I drifted into a restless sleep, my subconscious crying out for a man who was probably swimming through the stars saving lives.

888

I was in my bathrobe, my toothbrush in my mouth, my hair pulled up in a hairclip when the doorbell rang. Jason was also in the bathroom wrestling to get his school shirt into his pants. I decided to get the door since he was so preoccupied. Opening it I found Clark standing before me in one of his overly large brown three piece suits, a brief case, and his trademark coke-bottle glasses. The only thing missing was the usual slouch and the higher pitched voice.

"Morning, Lois," he said pleasantly with a smile.

I pulled my toothbrush from my mouth, sucking on it to make sure no residue followed like string pizza. "Clark? What are you doing here?" I asked through a mouthful of toothpaste.

He chuckled. "Can't a boyfriend travel with his girlfriend to work?"

I blushed. Oh yeah; today everyone was going to find out that Lois and Clark were more than just reporters who shared a byline. We'd had a rough idea of how we were going to expose our relationship with our co-workers. I'd suggested kissing Clark right out in the open but Clark surprised me with a more devilish idea. I highly supported it. It had to be timed perfectly but because Clark had the advantage of his super hearing, we were sure to make our plans come into fruition.

"Come on in," I invited through my toothpaste.

Clark walked in and held out a cup of coffee in one hand and a bag in the other. "I thought I'd bring you and Jason breakfast."

"What about you?" I asked, desperate to remove the residue from my mouth.

"I ate on the way," Clark replied, clearly enjoying my predicament. His eyes twinkled.

Thankfully Jason provided the perfect distraction. "Daddy!" he launched himself into Clark's arms, kissing him on the cheek. "Are you really going to tell Daddy Richard who you are today?"

Clark smiled. "Yes, son, I am."

We'd told Jason what we were going to do on our way to the Kansas City airport. He was overjoyed with the news of being able to keep both his fathers. He also took the news of Richard only visiting once in a while quite well when we explained to him that mommy could only stay with Clark because he was Jason's real dad. It had been the easiest way to explain why I'd chosen Clark over Richard. Once he understood everything clearly, Jason had been overanxious to know when Richard would be part of our lives again.

"Why can't I be there to see it?" Jason wondered for the umpteenth time.

"Because you have to go to school," I said, emerging from the bathroom now toothpaste free. I'd let my hair down, allowing the curls to fall whichever way they desired around my face. Clark looked me up and down with approval and obvious restraint. I grinned. "Like what you see, Smallville?"

Clark smirked, grateful that Jason was distracted by fishing out a blueberry muffin from the bag he'd brought. "That's an understatement, Miss Lane."

I happily turned on my heel. "I need to get dressed. No peeking."

"I never do," he replied, "though I've been tempted plenty of times."

I laughed lightly. I'd decided to wear a black pencil skirt, red blouse, and bright red pumps with silver jewelry. I had to look classy on the day that I was "coming out of the closet" so to speak. Checking myself over in the mirror, I paused to add a little more lipstick and another small dash of perfume. The image that stared out of the mirror impressed even me. I looked good. It helped that I felt good too. I always found that when I felt good, I was more satisfied with my appearance after dolling myself up for the day. Grabbing my handbag filled with all my necessities, I left my room.

Clark's expression was worth its weight in gold. His mouth physically dropped open as his eyes -of their own violation- raked from my head to my toes and back again. I blushed lightly from the ravenous look on his face, the hunger in his eyes; I knew that in that moment he wanted to sweep me into his arms and carry me away someplace discreet where he could devour me to his heart's content. Trying to be nonchalant, I picked up my coffee. "Shall we head out?"

Jason hopped off the stool, blueberry muffin still stuffed in his mouth. Clark held open the door for us and we all went down to my car. Clark grimaced slightly as he got in the passenger seat. "Make sure to buckle up, Jason," he cautioned, buckling himself in and double checking to make sure he was actually secure.

I rolled my eyes. "Why is the Man of Steel terrified of flying out the windshield? You're invulnerable."

"I'd rather not people find out my secret due to your…unique driving skills."

I smirked. "Buckled up back there, munchkin?"

"Yes, mommy," he called with a slight giggle.

Jason was the only one who actually liked the way I drove. Richard had been just as terrified as Clark over me getting behind the wheel. Smiling evilly, I rocketed out into traffic, causing several people to swerve and two or three horns to blare angrily at my taillights. Clark shook his head. "Still the same," he muttered.

"Did you expect me to become tame anytime in the future?" I asked cheerfully and I weaved in and out of traffic, rushing through really yellow lights.

"I would have thought that having a son would have changed the way you maneuvered the road."

Jason and I laughed. "If you're going to be part of this family, you've got to accept my driving, Clark," I said.

"I do accept it," he replied, "but that doesn't mean that I have to actively participate in experiencing it. I prefer the open skies after all."

"I'll be sure to get you a plane for your birthday," I joked.

Clark grimaced.

We dropped Jason off ten minutes later and then reached the Daily Planet in twenty minutes. Clark had stepped out of the car in the parking garage and was just about to follow me to the elevator when his head tilted ever so slightly to the right. I knew that look.

Clark kissed me hurriedly, looked around, and twisted on his heel, changing into the suit in a blur of red and blue. He rocketed into the open air right after changing. Whatever it was, he'd had to leave in a hurry. I didn't mind. He'd be back.

I made it up to the bullpen and my heart surged with warmth. It had been days since I'd been here but I felt like it had been years. The smells of newspaper, ink, and terrible office coffee settled into my lungs. I savored it with pleasure. It was good to be home. I strolled across the bullpen until I reached my desk. Richard was already in his office, hammering away at his keyboard. I just barely managed to turn on my computer when Perry spotted me.

"LANE!"

I rolled my eyes. Turning on my heels, I marched into his office with my head held high. "I came back before the week was up."

"I noticed," Perry said gruffly. "Where's Kent?"

"He left his notes at home," I said breezily. "He should get in around eight."

Perry didn't look too happy. "I swear, even though Kent is one of the best reporters on my team, I can't keep giving him this kind of leeway."

"You're not going to fire him!" I said my tone dangerous.

"That depends," Perry shot back. "Are both of you going to be able to give me satisfying stories or are you going to be too busy ogling over each other?"

I frowned. "You've never been bothered by office romance before."

"That's because it's never occurred between my best reporters before."

"You never said anything when I was with Richard."

"He never was out in the field chasing stories alongside you, Lane."

I rolled my eyes. "Perry, are you worried that Clark's not good enough for me?"

Perry's jaw dropped. "What? Of course not!"

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," he said stubbornly.

"Chief…" I prompted.

Perry scowled. "Don't call me Chief! Alright, I'm just concerned if this thing goes south. You and Kent are my best and if this all goes up in flames then I'll end up losing one of you. I lost Kent for five years. It was like Christmas came early when he came back."

"I thought you only rehired him because Norm Palmer died."

"That was a cover up," Perry muttered.

I laughed. There it was; his tenderness shining through his crusty shell. "Perry, trust me when I say this, things aren't going to go south between me and Clark."

Perry raised an eyebrow. He knew whenever I showed this kind of stubbornness things weren't going to change. "Alright," he said, "but if… _if_ something were to happen, I'll knock Kent into next week should he break your heart."

I smiled, touched by the sediment, even though I knew Perry wouldn't be able to leave so much as a dent in Clark's hair let alone his skin. "I've got a Superman story to write up," I revealed. "Unless there's anything else you wanted to talk about?"

Perry shook his head. "No that was all. Though, when did you get another exclusive with him?"

"Oh, he showed up in Smallville," I said casually, turning to leave.

"What?! Lane, you can't just leave my office without giving me further details after a bombshell like that!"

"I just did," I said as I stepped back out into the bullpen. "You'll find out in half an hour if your patient enough," I called over my shoulder.

I got back to my desk and glance back to see Perry standing in his doorway, fuming. Grinning madly, I turned my back on him and began typing away. I was going to leave out the reason behind Harasona's visit and the exact location of the event due to privacy requested by Superman but the article would be quite the stir since it was the first time the heroes had gathered together in public. It was also the golden opportunity I had been waiting for to introduce them as a team using the name I'd come up with in the barn. Laughing manically under my breath over my good fortune, I cheerfully wrote up the article, shouting for spelling suggestions to the next door cubicles when difficult words appeared.

An hour later I let out a low evil chuckle as I hit the send button, emailing the story to Perry. Figuring that I earned myself a donut, I left to go to the shop conveniently located right across the street from the Planet. Clark still wasn't back yet; was there really that much trouble going on in the world? Or… my heart skipped a beat. He hadn't been accosted by another bounty hunter, had he?

888

Superman stood next to Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, and Flash. They'd just taken down three bounty hunters who appeared to be a trio of some type or another. They hadn't worked together at all so it was a good guess that they'd merely teamed up to try to accomplish the assignment of bringing Superman in. The bounty hunters were unconscious and in the process of being loaded into Wonder Woman's invisible jet through the Manhunter's telepathic abilities.

"I'm glad they weren't much of a fight," Superman muttered, eyeing the bounty hunters with distaste.

"I hope all of them are like that," Wonder Woman said softly, her concern evident despite trying to hide it.

"They took out three buildings while we took out one," Flash reported. "I'll file with the police and then send Bats the bill. You'd better take off big guy. You did say you had somewhere you needed to be, right?"

Superman sighed. "Yeah, thanks for handling the clean up, Flash. I owe you."

Flash grinned. "Just have that hotdog contest with me and we'll call it good."

Wonder Woman cringed at the thought. "Why on earth do you even want to see how many of those things you can stuff down your throat in ten seconds?"

Flash shrugged. "Because it sounds fun. Besides, Superman is the first hero that can actually keep up with me."

Superman chuckled. "I'll let you know when I have a few minutes free."

"Excellent!" Flash muttered, grinning at Wonder Woman.

Superman took off after that, rushing back to Metropolis. He was thankful that the bounty hunter trio fiasco had happened in China; it was less likely to reach the States and the ears of Metropolis. The internet would probably post up something but thankfully nobody really knew the details of why the invasion took place. Superman touched down in an alley, changed, and stepped out into the street, adjusting his glasses. He made it to the rotating doors of the Planet when the sweet scent of strawberries caught his nose. He smiled. "Usually it's me sneaking up on you," he said.

"Wow, I surprised you?" Lois asked, her heels clicking along the tile as she walked side by side with him. "That never happens."

"On occasion it does," he admitted.

"You know, I was just about to call your cell," she admitted as they got in the elevator thankfully finding it all to themselves. "I was really worried that something had happened again."

Knowing that she was fishing for details, Clark decided to play ignorant. "What could have happened, Lois?"

The beautiful brunette rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, intergalactic pirates falling from the sky trying to steal heroes?"

Clark snorted as he realized the trio he and the others had taken down certainly did look like pirates from outer space; they'd even had eye patches. "We ran into some amateurs," he admitted, "but they really weren't a threat."

"Where?" Lois asked, her heart beating a little faster than before.

"China, don't worry Lois, nobody heard why they were there."

She nodded. "Good. We need to keep this a secret, no matter what."

Clark smiled and had a sudden idea. Taking a step closer, he let his voice drop to its low Superman timbre. "I'm glad to see you're so worried about me, Miss Lane."

He heard her heart skip a beat before taking off like a hummingbird; he loved the reaction he alone could start within her just by changing his voice.

She chuckled nervously. "Well, it's my job."

Clark took another step and slowly ran his hands from her waist down to the hips of her tiny frame. "Something tells me you have more concern for me than just journalist obligation."

He felt her knees weaken. "I think…you're…confused," she breathed.

His lips were inches from hers. Grinning triumphantly, he laced one hand into her hair, the other snaking around to the small of her back, and kissed her just as the elevator doors dinged open revealing them to the entire view of the bullpen.

888

If I had been paying more attention I would have heard the audible gasp and the silence that followed from the entire bullpen but I was so tangled up in Clark that I couldn't think of anything else. Reacting to his affections, even though in heels, I lifted up on my tiptoes to run my fingers into his thick black hair, my body rubbing up against him as I desperately tried to close the distance between us. We shared several deep passionate kisses before Clark stopped only to whisper against my lips, "I think we've got their attention."

"Huh?" I asked, feeling slightly drunk from the intense last kiss he'd just given me.

His whole body chuckled as he pulled away, slipping his hand into mind, as he stepped out of the elevator. I allowed him to lead me and after a moment I realized where we were. That cheeky devil! I smiled; he'd picked a daring way to display our relationship. I was thinking the supply closet but the elevator was a much more dramatic entrance. I found myself approving of it immediately as I took in the faces of all our co-workers. Shock, befuddlement, and gaping like schools of fish, everyone seemed rooted to the floor, like they'd been planted exactly where they stood. One photographer even had their cup of coffee halfway to their mouth.

Clark kept my hand in his the whole way to our desks, conveniently placed on the opposite side of the room. Pretending that this was a normal, everyday practice, he kissed me lightly on the lips before turning to his desk and turning on his computer. I did the same. The silence continued and nobody seemed to move. Clark and I pretended that all was normal and in about five minutes, the office came alive again, like someone flipped a switch. Whispered conversations broke out like the plague. After a moment, Clark stood up. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. I hadn't dared look over at Richard after coming out of the closet or the elevator, whichever way you wanted to phrase it, but now I glanced over at his office.

His eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions, the most prominent being anger. Just like I suspected, Richard probably thought I'd rushed off to Clark, thinking he'd be an easy snag to cover my real relationship with the Man of Steel. Clark walked over to Richard's office and the two shared a few words. After a moment, Richard nodded and then followed Clark down the bullpen to the elevator. The second the doors closed, everyone turned to look at me and began to chatter away. I rolled my eyes. Let them think what they wanted; I was still on a high both from those passionate kisses and the article I'd turned in for the morning addition.

888

Richard followed Clark out onto the Daily Planet's roof. After checking that the coast was clear, Clark turned back to Richard. The poor fellow looked like he'd been going through a mid-life crisis. Dark circles lined his bloodshot eyes and with his keen senses, Clark detected the smell of alcohol was lingering on his clothes.

"I hope you aren't upset, Richard."

Richard let out a bitter laugh. "Clark, she's playing you for the fool you are. Do you honestly think she loves you?"

Clark raised an eyebrow. "Yes, I think she does, Mr. White."

Richard didn't seem to pick up on the fact that Clark was standing taller than usual and his voice had dropped several octaves. He continued to sputter, "Can't you see that she's using you as a cover up? She loves Superman! She'll never love you."

Clark sighed. Richard was obviously still in love with her since he was taking this so hard. The time was long past due to share everything with him. "Richard, you need to allow me to explain."

"What is there to explain, Clark? Did she feed you some outlandish piece of tripe about how you were the only one that could make her life complete?"

Obviously words were not going to suffice in this predicament. "Richard, stop talking and watch," he ordered.

For the first time Richard seemed to notice the change in Clark's demeanor. "What –?"

Clark spun on his heel in a blur or red and blue before replanting his red boots on the Daily Planet roof. His clothes and glasses he usually tucked in a safe place nearby now lay on the ground next to him for Richard to openly view. Superman stood tall and silently observed the Assistant Editor go from extreme confusion to utter shock to sudden understanding.

"No way," he breathed.

Superman managed a small sheepish smile. "It would seem that your assumption of who might be Superman when you observed Clark Kent was dead on, though I did a good job at removing it from your mind by acting rather goofy."

Richard suddenly remembered that conversation with Lois shortly after Superman's return. He'd looked over at Clark and more out of fun than reporting instinct, he'd teased the idea of comparing the reporter and superhero together. He had no idea that he'd ignorantly struck gold. Clark's ridiculous grin and stupid wave had made both him and Lois snicker at the very thought! "You were listening?" was all he could manage to say.

Superman shrugged. "Normally I don't eavesdrop but when someone says the name of Superman, my ears naturally hone in. You never know if it's a cry for help," he explained.

Richard nodded dumbly still trying to comprehend the revelation that had just been dumped on him. "I can't believe this," he murmured, placing his hand on his forehead.

Everything made so much sense now! Even though he hadn't met Clark until he returned from his five year escapade, he knew of the deep crush he'd had on Lois due to office gossip. When Clark returned, Richard could tell that Clark was just as infatuated as the rumors said. And everyone suspected that something had been between Lois and Superman. As Superman he only came to her for exclusive interviews and was always saving her from danger. As Clark he was constantly by her side as her partner, her friend, and her co-worker.

Richard grimaced in horror as he realized how it must have felt for him to come back after five years to find that he'd been replaced…by him! The realization that he'd literally stolen away Superman's girl shook him to the core. But wait…he left! He voluntarily abandoned Lois and Jason! His grimace turned to a scowl.

"You left them," he accused.

Superman's shoulders sagged slightly, a strange sight since he usually stood with such confidence. "I know," he sighed. "And it's the stupidest thing I have ever done and I'll be regretting it for the rest of my life."

"Why did you do it? Why did you abandon them?" Richard asked, his glower lightening ever so slightly over the obvious regret the hero displayed.

Superman walked over to the wall and leaned against it, folding his arms and staring out towards the city. His look still far away, he sighed again. "It's a long and complicated story but I'll give you the Reader's Digest version." Richard waited, signifying that he'd be satisfied with that. Superman ran a hand through his hair. "Do you remember the three Kryptonians that tried to take over the planet five years ago?"

Richard nodded. "Yeah, I remember the President begging for you to do something. Where were you?"

Superman's face flushed. Richard thought it the strangest thing to see blush on the cheeks of the Man of Steel. Shuffling his feet, he looked down at his bright red boots. This behavior was exactly what he would expect from Clark Kent but seeing Superman conduct himself in such a fashion was rather abnormal.

Superman cleared his throat. "Just before they showed up, Perry sent Lois and I on a story in Niagara Falls. Lois had suspected who I was for a while but it was while we were on that trip that she found out the truth. I tripped over that stupid pink bear rug in the hotel and my hand went straight into the fire pit in the middle of the room. Lois demanded to see my hand and after a moment I let her. It was downhill from there. We flew to my Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic, I gave up my powers so that I could be with Lois, and we… spent the night together."

"Jason…" Richard muttered, suddenly understanding.

Superman nodded. "That's when it happened. I didn't even know that the Kryptonians were threatening Earth until Lois and I walked to a town to start our way back to Metropolis. We went to a diner, heard what was going on, and I realized that I'd acted rather rashly. I chose my own happiness and comfort over defending the world. Lois knew from the look on my face that I was going back to the Fortress to plead with my Kryptonian parents to restore my abilities so I could stop Zod.

"She let me go, saying she'd meet me back in Metropolis. My parents thankfully allowed my powers to return and I rushed off, stopped Zod and his companions, and lost Lois in the aftermath. She was miserable, Richard. She couldn't handle knowing who I was but never being able to publically display her love for me. Heartbroken over her misery, I wanted to put it to an end. I kissed her in the Daily Planet as she cried over our predicament and in that kiss, something happened. Her memories of the past week were taken from her."

"You're kidding?!" Richard cried.

Clark shook his head. "She didn't remember anything that had happened, including my secret and what occurred in the Fortress. I went back to being two separate people to her. Clark Kent, her co-worker who'd forever have a crush but never be able to catch the girl, and Superman, the hero she was completely head over heels for but unable to ever have a relationship with. It was maddening having a perfect recollection of everything that happened between us and being unable to satisfy the desire to even touch her. I lasted two weeks. I couldn't handle the loneliness anymore.

"When the news came out that scientists might have found Krypton, it was the excuse I needed to run. I had no idea that Lois was pregnant, Richard. I never would have left her if I had known that. The only reason I left was because I was under the impression I couldn't balance Lois and Superman. It was the hardest thing convincing myself that she'd find someone else, someone who could replace me and give her a life that I could never give. I see now that came true."

Richard was rooted to the spot, stunned by the truth. Oh, he was grateful, truly grateful, that he'd finally received all the answers to questions that had been burning in him for years. But…his heart went out to the spandex clad hero. From this tale Richard was able to catch a glimpse of the loneliness Superman, Clark, had gone through. But he couldn't be lonely anymore, right? He'd finally gotten everything he'd always wanted: Lois, the love of his life, and Jason, a miracle he never thought possible. Richard was the one left empty handed. He deflated as Superman's words caused guilt to plow through him.

"I never should have sought her out…Clark," he muttered. "She wasn't mine to take."

Superman spun on his heel, turning back into Clark minus the glasses. His voice was also different, Richard noticed, somewhere between Clark and Superman. Was this the real man behind the two guises? "Richard, I'm not angry over what's happened. The last thing I want is for you to think that I hate you because I don't."

"You have every reason to," Richard said, his voice filled with surprise. Why on earth was Clark being so compassionate when he'd nearly lost everything because of him? This man made no sense.

"Some may feel that way but not me," Clark assured, his eyes steady, his expression kind. "I will hold nothing but respect and gratitude to you for being there for my family when I was not. I failed in that regard but you didn't. You have raised Jason very well."

Here it comes, Richard thought. This is when he's going to say that he'll take it from here…

"And I want you to still help raise him."

Richard blinked. "Come again?" he said, disbelief written over every inch of his face.

"I want you to continue to help raising Jason," Clark said in all seriousness. "You were there for him the first five years of his life. You have earned the right to have him call you his father. I, on the other hand, will have to work very hard to feel worthy of that position. I want us both to be there for Jason, to help him become the best that he can be. Lois supports this. She's actually coming up in the elevator as we speak." He smiled hopelessly. "Her curiosity always gets the better of her. She was the one who suggested I speak to you alone. I suppose she's tired of waiting."

"Either that or she thinks I've stabbed you with Kryptonite after you burned me with your heat vision," Richard joked. Then he looked serious. "You really want me to be part of Jason's life?"

Clark nodded firmly. "Yes, if you'd be willing."

Richard's face broke out into the first real smile he'd worn in months. It was the face of a man whose deepest desire had just come true. He nodded, his eyes gleaming in the sunlight. "I'd be honored," he said.

Clark smiled. "Thank you, Richard."

The words implied so much and Richard understood the deeper meaning. Nodding, he smiled and returned the same heartfelt thanks. An understanding came between them. Both had expressed what they wanted and were delighted that everything had ended positively. The door to the roof opened and Lois looked upon the scene, her shoulders relaxing once finding the two weren't trying to beat the crap out of each other. "I suppose from the cheerful atmosphere that everything worked out for both of you?"

Clark and Richard grinned.

"Sure, Lois," Richard said.

"We even managed not to kill each other," Clark added.

Lois rolled her eyes. "Like anyone could kill you, Smallville."

Now that the drama was out of the way, Clark noticed that Lois was dying to spit something out. Giving her an amused eyebrow, Clark prompted, "Lois, what's on your mind?"

He heard her curse under her breath. "Am I really that obvious?" she asked in slight distain.

"Yes," both he and Richard said at the same time.

Lois scowled. Folding her arms, she stuck her cute little nose into the air. "I'm not telling. If you want to find out, come back to the bullpen. I'm going to get a cup of coffee."

And with that she turned on her heels and left the two amused men on the roof.

**Reviews are love! Thanks so much for sticking with me and this story! You guys are awesome! :)**


	12. Meet the Lanes

**AN: So, I didn't realize it until last chapter but the way I separate scenes in my chapters hasn't been coming up when I upload new ones. So, from now on if you see **888** that's just a separator from scene to scene. Thank you all for sticking with this story! I appreciate all the feedback! Ya'll are amazing!**

**Disclaimer: The villain who's placed the bounty on Clark's head is a villain based from Superman the Animated Series. All rights belong to Warner Brothers and DC comics. :)**

12: Meet the Lanes

September had rolled into November before I even knew what happened. And along with the change of months came the change of seasons, the holidays, and a deeper more open relationship with Clark; the latter being something that made me very happy. The office took the transition rather well. They were nervous how Richard and Clark were going to be around each other but after a couple of weeks of seeing them acting like the best of friends, our fellow employees moved on to the next bit of gossip.

I was grateful that Perry was taking everything in stride. He'd even allowed Clark and I to continue to work together as a partnership despite our feelings for each other. He had been skeptical at first but after we started putting out juicy articles about the Justice League he'd had a change of heart. The Justice League…that had been a whole kettle of worms at first; the heroes hadn't been too happy when the article hit the streets shortly after their appearance in Smallville. They calmed down when they actually read what I'd written, making it very clear to the public that they would only band together in times of great calamity or intergalactic crisis.

Since that first article, they'd been spotted in several places around the world fighting off creatures from space. It was believed by the public that the visitors were trying to take over the planet but the Justice League and a handful of other trustworthy people (such as myself) knew their true purpose for invading: they were after Clark. Clark was doing quite a good job putting up with being babysat all the time. Since the bounty hunters started showing up every other week now, it had become essential for him to have another member of the League within sight at all times. It was mostly Diana or J'onn since they didn't really have side jobs in well known cities to worry about.

I have to admit, I didn't really like having the two of them following us around on date night but I couldn't deny it eased my mind to have them near. I'd been having nightmares for the past two weeks about Clark being taken away from me. It had gotten to the point where I had Hal's personal cell phone number and sent him a daily text asking if he'd had any leads on who might want Clark. To all of our frustration, Hal had still come up dry. Whoever had put out the bounty had played all the right cards to keep who they really were a secret. Hal suspected the precautions were due to the fact that it was known that Superman and the Green Lantern of sector 2814 were allies and nobody dealing dirty wanted a Green Lantern on their trail.

I had no idea that the Corps had such a heavy influence in space but after sitting down and talking with Hal, I learned that there was a Green Lantern for every sector of the known universe and there just so happened to be 3000 sectors. Knowing that so many other intelligent beings existed out in the universe nearly scrambled my brain. Accepting that Clark wasn't biologically human had been hard enough. Jason seemed fascinated with the idea of other life forms and often asked Hal to tell him stories when he would be on duty watching Clark as we went to the park as a family.

I was glad that Jason was doing so well with all the changes that had fallen into his lap. He had no difficulty at all accepting Richard back into his life even though the man had given him the complete cold shoulder for months. That was one thing I loved about my son; he had a compassionate heart of gold. He reminded me of Clark in so many ways. It made my heart soar.

I was busy getting ready for the day when Jason came rushing in on a sugar high. "Mommy! Do I have to go to school today?" he asked in a rush, holding two candy bars in each hand.

I sighed. Halloween had been two days ago and because his allergies were gone it was the first time Jason could go trick or treating like any other kid. Clark had wanted him to have the ultimate experience and therefore walked around in the open as Superman. I'd been terrified that other people would suspect but since Richard had dressed up as an Air Force pilot people didn't bother to glance twice. It was unfortunate when several bounty hunters showed up and tried to kidnap three men dressed as Superman. The other League members provided the needed distraction for Clark to take flight and join the fray of stopping the hunters from carrying off innocent humans. The holiday had ended on a sour note but Jason had managed to gather plenty of candy to forget the terrors of the evening.

"Jason, honey, yes you have to go to school. And isn't it a little too early for candy?" I asked, exasperated.

Between mouthfuls of chocolate, Jason replied, "But Mommy, it's so good!"

I sighed again but this time with a smile. Those big blue eyes looked up at me as I touched up my eyelashes. "Fine, but don't think this is going to become a habit!" I called as he raced out of the room to get another handful of sugar. "I'm going to have to save up for the dentist," I mumbled.

There was a knock at the door. I checked my alarm clock next to my bed and smiled. As usual, he was right on time. I finished getting ready while listening to Jason interrogate Clark on his latest save battling a volcano in the Pacific.

"How did you see through the ash?" Jason's excited voice asked.

"X-ray vision has its advantages," Clark revealed.

"Cool!" A pause and then Jason asked, "Daddy?"

"Hmmm?"

"Will I get x-ray vision too?"

There was another pause on Clark's end. "I don't know, son," he admitted. "We'll just have to take things as they come."

"I hope I get it," Jason sighed with longing. "I wanna be just like you when I grow up."

I had to blink back threatening tears. I'm sure Clark was choking up with emotion too. After all, Jason was an answer to his loneliness. Because of the little miracle we'd made out of love, he was no longer the last son of Krypton. That brought me more joy than anything in the whole world and often I thanked the heavens for Jason. He literally was the greatest miracle that Clark and I shared.

I rounded the corner to find Clark dressed in a trench coat over his usual too-big brown suit and thick glasses with a cup of steaming hot coffee in one hand with my name on it. I kissed him lightly on the lips. "Good morning," I whispered.

"M-Morning," he stuttered, slightly caught off guard by the amount of displayed emotion so early. Little did Clark know, for the first time in weeks I'd had a wonderful dream where we'd had a pretty heated evening in the back of a truck out in the middle of a Kansas cornfield. It had been a wonderful dream; one that I hoped would become a reality in the future.

I grabbed my coat and made sure to zip Jason's jacket up to his chin. "Shall we go?" I asked, taking my coffee and sipping it delicately.

Clark smiled and laced his fingers through mine. Jason sighed. "Do we have to pretend that it's cold outside?"

"It _is_ cold outside, honey," I said.

"Not to me," he complained.

Clark chuckled. They'd had this discussion before; Jason became impervious to the changes in the weather at the beginning of October. "You know that the other kids will notice if you don't have a coat on, son."

Jason frowned. "I know. But I still don't like having to dress up when I don't need to."

I rolled my eyes. It was freezing outside! And yet my men were completely at ease, not so much as having their teeth chatter. Clark's unique heat kept my hand warm as he squeezed it when he heard my teeth starting to knock together. We made it down to the snow covered sidewalk and waited for ten seconds before Clark's whistle stopped a cab. We got inside and I looked across the street to see a woman clad in high heeled leather boots, a purple plaid pea coat, a black hat and gloves eyeing us over the top of her copy of the Daily Planet.

"Looks like its Diana today," I muttered under my breath so the cab wouldn't hear. Clark nodded in response as he gave the address to Jason's school.

It took thirty minutes to get to Jason's school due to the snow that decided to fall ruthlessly upon the city. We both kissed our son goodbye and watched him dart into the snow like the rest of the kids making their way to the school's entrance. We even watched him throw a couple of snowballs before the cab pulled back out into traffic to head for the Daily Planet. I caught another glimpse of Diana as we drove away, paper still in hand.

I sighed and leaned into Clark's large chest. "Why do I have a feeling it's going to be one of those days?" I mumbled.

Clark's chest rumbled in silent laughter next to me. "Perhaps it's because today Perry's going to try to get you to have another exclusive with Bruce Wayne."

I frowned. "Wasn't he satisfied with the one I gave him?"

"Well, Bruce Wayne is in town again on business with Queen Enterprises."

"That's certainly a surprise," I said sarcastically.

Clark chuckled.

We pulled in front of the Daily Planet, Clark handed over a few bills to the driver, and we were about to go through the revolving doors when Clark stopped. Diana was leaning against the building, her newspaper still covering half her face. Her eyes, however, were on us. Clark raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you, miss?" he asked since there were several other reporters milling around.

Diana shook her head, not lowering the paper from her face. They seemed to stare at each other a moment more before Clark nodded and went through the doors, making sure to keep our hands intertwined the whole time. I waited until we'd secured an elevator to ourselves.

"What happened?" I asked the second the doors were closed.

"Hal got word that there will be a group known in the bounty world as Dice heading to Earth in the next day or so. They're supposedly really good at what they do. My security is being doubled."

I looked at him sympathetically from his sigh of obvious disdain. "So that's why Bruce and Oliver are in town."

Clark nodded. "The business deal is a cover up. It helps that they've worked together before so it isn't too big of an eyebrow raiser for the press."

"Clark, are you okay?" I asked after a moment.

He looked deep in thought. "I'm frustrated."

"I can see that," I said gently.

"I wish we could figure out who wants my head so we can stop all this madness. People have gotten hurt from these bounty hunters, Lois. If I turned myself in…"

My heart slammed against my chest. "No!" I latched onto him, clinging to him desperately. He looked at me, startled. We'd had this conversation before but then I'd been headstrong unlike now where I was –dare I say it- desperate for him not to leave me.

"Lois?"

I couldn't meet his eyes but I kept my hold tight on his arm. "I can't let you do that, Clark. You…you can't leave me again," I muttered so quietly I wasn't even sure if he would hear.

But he had heard. His strong arms came around me and he pulled me into his chest. Lifting my chin gently with one finger, he searched my eyes so I could see for myself his sincerity. "I will never leave you or Jason again, Lois," he said tenderly.

"Promise?" I asked, feeling stupid for displaying such weakness. Darn this man! He was the only one who could bring out this side of me, the side I hid from the rest of the world.

Clark bent down and kissed me long and deep, sending my worries away instantly as I rocketed up somewhere with the snow falling in the sky. "I promise," he whispered against my lips.

Someone cleared their throat. We both looked up to find Richard staring with a mocking grin on his face. "Don't you think kissing in the elevator is getting old? Maybe you should try the supply closet for your next make out location."

"Good morning to you too, Richard," I said.

Clark's face was a little flushed at having been caught. Keeping up the act, he managed to trip a little as we got off the elevator. Richard had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Where are you going so early?" I asked.

"Running to the ground floor to get a cup of hot chocolate for Perry," he answered.

"Why not coffee?" Clark wondered.

Richard sent us both an evil grin. "Alice is on the move again. She's made Perry swear off coffee until after Christmas."

Clark and I shuddered in horror. Turning to Clark I jabbed my finger into his chest. "Don't you ever do that to me, you hear, Smallville?!"

"I wouldn't dream of it, Lois," he replied in his higher office voice.

Richard chuckled and muttered so only the two of us could hear, "Just wait until you wake up next to her, Clark. She's a right foul monster from the underworld until she has coffee in her system."

I rolled my eyes, punching my ex-fiancé lightly in the arm. "I wasn't that bad!"

Clark grinned, his eyes glinting mischievously. "You just didn't learn how to tame the beast the night before, Richard."

Richard's mouth dropped open while my face became so hot you could fry an egg on it. _Had he seriously just said that?!_ I was blushing all the way to my roots and my ears. Clark looked rather pleased with himself as he nodded to Richard and tripped a little as he made his way to his desk. I watched him go, my face still as red as a beet.

"Morning Mr. White and Miss Lane! How are you both today…?" Jimmy's enthusiasm ceased as he looked at our expressions. Richard resembled a fish, opening and closing his mouth, while I was still as red as an apple. "Did something happen?" Jimmy prompted.

I was the first one to recover from such a surprising revelation from my boyfriend. "Richard, weren't you going to get hot chocolate?" I asked, turning away from Jimmy.

"Wha? Oh, yeah," Richard muttered, getting into the elevator. His expression was still one of surprise as the doors shut.

I marched down the bullpen. Clark was busy at his desk, already typing an article with particularly cheery gusto. An evil thought came to my mind. If he was going to embarrass me in front of Richard, I sure was going to get my revenge. Thankfully Jimmy had followed me as I walked towards my desk. Suddenly changing course, I walked right up to Clark who turned away from his computer just in time to find me planting myself right into his lap.

Immediately I felt him freeze beneath me. Clark may be completely head over heels in love with me and perfectly fine with openly kissing me in the office but petting and cuddling was something we'd decided to save for private settings. After all, even though he'd made his fair share of misdeeds in the past, he was trying to turn over a new leaf and be the moral farm boy his parents raised him to be. The move I'd just made was definitely something that was against public affection.

Ignoring his frozen horror beneath me and Jimmy's obvious discomfort, I grabbed Clark's hands and placed them over my stomach, leaning into his chest as I spoke. "Was there something you needed Jimmy?"

The photographer cleared his throat, trying to ignore the intimacy in front of him. "Um, C-Chief wanted me to a-accompany you on a s-story," he stammered because I had now twisted in Clark's arms so my legs were hanging over the side of one of his arm rests while I ran a finger up and down Clark's chin, keeping his hands over my stomach with my other hand in the process.

I could feel Clark getting more and more antsy by the minute. I could hardly contain my grin. "Sounds good, Jimmy. Once I get the assignment from Perry, we'll head out."

"O-Okay, Miss Lane," he stuttered, trying to avoid watching my open display of seduction.

"LANE! WHAT THE DEVIL ARE YOU DOING?!"

I looked over at Perry innocently. "Just enjoying being in the bullpen, Perry. Did you need something?"

Half the bullpen had stopped to glance in shock over the scene; I'd never been this openly affectionate with Richard in all the five years of dating him. Perry looked uncomfortable but still remained firm as he stormed over to Clark's desk. "You're going to give Clark a heart attack," he said. "The man's as red as a cherry. Stop this nonsense and get in my office, both of you!" He turned on his heel and rushed back into his office to await us there, too uncomfortable to continue watching his two best reporters in such a position.

I finally decided to look at Clark. He was indeed as red as Perry said. His eyes were trying desperately not to stare down at me; I'd conveniently positioned myself in such a way that he could get a full view down my blouse if he wanted. Laughing quietly in triumph, I kissed the cleft in his chin before slowly sliding off his lap.

"Come on Smallville," I said. "We'll have to wait until later I guess." I glanced back and Clark turned, if possible, an even deeper shade of red. Laughing under my breath, I muttered, "Payback for that comment earlier, Kent. Next time, think twice before embarrassing me in front of the entire newsroom."

Clark stood up, sighed, and did something completely surprising. He took me into his arms and kissed me full on the mouth. "Whatever you say, Miss Lane," he grinned. "Thanks for the view," he whispered before walking into Perry's office.

I stared after him, clearly pleased as well as surprised. Trying not to show these emotions, I walked into Perry's office with my head held high. As expected, Perry chewed us out for bringing our personal life into the bullpen (though the old man had to fight really hard to keep the smirk from his face and the approval from his eyes) and assigned both of us to cover the story about Wayne Enterprises and Queen Industries latest business proposition.

"I want exclusive interviews with both billionaires!" Perry called as we left the office. "And take Olsen with you to get pictures!"

"Exclusives shouldn't be too big of a problem," I said with a smirk as we walked to my desk. Clark leaned against it while I took the chair. I crossed my legs and noticed him taking in the view. "Kent, Chief did just warn us to keep our relationship out of the office."

Clark grinned without shame. "This coming from the woman who openly sat in my lap for five minutes. I'm just enjoying the view."

I snorted but smiled. "So when do we snag those two to get an interview?"

Clark shrugged. "We'll have to mingle with everyone else at the party they're hosting at City Hall tonight. When opportunity arises, we go in for the kill."

I grinned. "Who do you want to take down?"

"I prefer Oliver Queen since Bruce Wayne seems more prone to speak to the opposite sex."

"I'll be sure to wear something that will loosen that tongue of his then."

Clark raised an eyebrow. "I hope it won't loosen it too much."

I grinned seductively at him. "Why? Afraid I might get more than an interview?"

Clark's eyes suddenly smoldered with burning passion. A shiver ran down my spine. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I doubt you'd want more than an interview with someone who could never fully satisfy you." He decided to torture me further by brushing his lips purposefully across my earlobe before pulling away.

My face flushed. I couldn't breathe properly. My heart was going a thousand miles a minute. To heck with keeping our relationship out of the office; I stood up and muttered, "I need to get something from the supply closet."

Clark watched my retreating figure. I slammed the door and pretended to be looking for something. I hoped he'd taken the hint. I waited for ten minutes. He still hadn't shown up. Had he slipped off to rescue someone? I was just about to crack open the supply closet and peek when he opened the door and closed it with a snap.

I immediately leapt into his arms, kissing him furiously. "What took you so long?" I asked as I leaned back to catch my breath.

"If I'd followed you flat out, Perry and everyone else would know we weren't merely grabbing supplies," he answered, before kissing me again. Another breath later, he added, "I had to wait until everyone was distracted."

"I love you," I muttered before kissing him again, my fingers climbing into his hair.

He pushed me up against the wall, deepening the kiss, his hands slowly moving up and down my arms. We were just about to get into the good stuff when he leapt backward and pretended to be shuffling through some papers on a shelf. I would have displayed an expression of hurt if the door hadn't opened at that moment.

"Lois, what kind of sticky notes were you trying to find?" Clark asked in a normal tone, completely devoid of loss of breath.

I looked at our intruder only to find Richard standing in the doorway. He blinked a few times, assessing the situation, before closing the door behind him. "You know, when I suggested the supply closet, I never actually thought you two would take to the idea," he said, his voice slightly strained with disdain.

I didn't really know what to say. I felt like I was back in high school and the principal had just caught me making out when I should have been in class. Clark seemed to feel the same way because he didn't move either. Richard obviously wasn't mad but he was aggravated.

"Perry confided in me just now," Richard went on when neither of us said anything. "He said that if you two can't keep things…professional…he's going to ship Clark over into international."

"What?!" I cried, outraged. "He can't do that!"

"He's the Editor in Chief, Lois, he can do whatever he wants," Richard said, folding his arms. "He sent me in here to give you both a warning. He's tolerated the small pecks but he's not going to stand for public displays of intimacy. We didn't even do anything of the sort in the office, Lois." He looked uncomfortable, unable to meet my eyes.

This affection for Clark I openly showed was a testament to the fact that my relationship with Richard was never as serious as my current one. The realization hurt, that was obvious, but it was the truth. I felt bad for causing such suffering in Richard but I couldn't help myself. Whenever I was around Clark and he did something to stir my emotions, I couldn't control myself. It was like my hormones took over every other rational thought. Apparently I did the same thing to Clark.

Richard cleared his throat, trying to get past the awkward feeling floating around the room. "I stood up for both of you this one time because I can see how happy the two of you are. But I'm not going to do so again. If you can't control yourselves, I'll support Perry's decision to separate you two. Do I make myself clear?"

Clark stood tall as he turned around. "Very, Mr. White," he said in his deep timbre. Richard didn't flinch from the change but instead stood his ground. He knew that Clark wasn't trying to be intimidating; he was trying to show Richard that he agreed with him. "However, may I be so bold as to ask a question, sir?"

Richard's eyebrows rose. "What is it, Clark?"

"Does this rule extend to breaks?"

I nearly choked from trying not to laugh. Richard cracked a smile. "Of course not, Clark. Lois and I found plenty of time to express affection when everyone else went on lunch or took a coffee break. Though I suggest that you take it to the roof; don't want anyone walking in on you."

Clark nodded with a smirk on his face. "Thanks for clearing that up, sir."

888

Richard had agreed to watch Jason for the evening so Clark and I could go to the business party. I looked myself over a few more times in the mirror. I'd decided to go with a red dress and strapping red stilettos. The dress flowed freely from my hips to my knees, exposing my calves. I'd decided to wear my hair down, letting my curls flow in loose ringlets around my shoulders. The doorbell rang. Grabbing my handbag with my recorder in it, I opened the door to find Clark standing in a tux. It took everything I had not to let my eyes fall out of their sockets. He looked positively stunning. No wonder he wore over-sized suits to work; every woman would try to get him in the supply closet if he didn't.

I allowed his eyes to freely roam up and down my body a few times before smirking. "Like what you see?" I asked.

He grinned but lightly blushed. "You look beautiful, Lois."

"You cleaned up nicely yourself, Smallville," I responded.

Taking my hand in his, we made our way down to where he had a cab waiting. We were halfway to City Hall when my phone started to ring. I looked at the display and groaned. "You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.

"Who is it?" Clark asked.

Ignoring him, I hit the green phone symbol and sighed, "Hi, Daddy."

Clark watched me silently as I sat tensely by his side. I tried to keep my composure as my father revealed to me that he was going to be in town for Thanksgiving and he wanted to spend the holiday with me and Lucy. The location would be at Lucy and Ron's place. I desperately wanted to say no but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Like all other times when talking to my father, I didn't want to start a fight because it was exhausting. "Fine," I muttered, "I'll come. But I'm going to have company." I glanced at Clark. He squeezed my hand. "Yes, Daddy, I'm bringing a guy and no it's not Richard. Yes, Jason will be there too. No, I won't talk about him over the phone. You'll just have to meet him in person. Bye, Dad." I hung up and groaned, closing my eyes.

"So I guess it's time to meet your father?" Clark said.

I nodded.

"Lois, relax. It's not like the world is going to come to an end."

"Clark, you don't get it," I laughed without humor. "My dad chews apart any guy I bring home. He even chewed out Richard. No matter who it is, he won't be satisfied with whoever I'm with. It took him four years to warm up to Ron! I can't even imagine what he's going to try to do to you."

Clark chuckled. "I think I'll survive anything he throws at me."

I rolled my eyes. "You just might not survive this fight, Clark."

"Of course I will, Lois. I'd face any threat he pulls in order to show him that you mean everything to me."

I looked over at him and finally managed to smile. Golly, I loved this man. I kissed him lightly on the cheek. "You always know what to say to cheer me up," I said.

The cab pulled over. Clark paid again and we got out joining the throng of people heading up the steps to City Hall. The party was all for the sake of publicity since a deal hadn't been made yet. It was typical pomp and circumstance for the Prince of Gotham, who was surrounded by a crowd of sharks all determined to get on his good side for the sake of promoting their own endeavors. Oliver Queen had his round of admirers as well but mostly they were the older crowd who'd made plenty of business transactions with him in the past and always came out fruitful. Clark and I wandered around getting comments from several bystanders about their opinions on another merger between the two companies.

It wasn't until the middle of the night that I got my opportunity to corner Bruce alone. Clark had already grabbed Oliver and the two were in a deep conversation that had been going on for almost ten minutes already. Bruce had his back to me when I rushed in for the kill.

"Good evening, Lois," he said without turning around.

I scowled. "You never let me sneak up on you."

"It's not just you," he said, turning around. His next words died in his throat as he took in my outfit. A smirk climbed his handsome face. "Very impressive," he complimented.

"Thanks," I said without emotion. "I heard that playboys like things in red."

"It's a rather…eye catching color," Bruce said carefully with a gentlemanly smile. "It helps to soften the mood too."

I smiled. "Good since a pleasant atmosphere makes a lovely scene for an interview."

"I don't give personal interviews, Miss Lane."

"You can't use that excuse since you gave me one over a month ago."

"That was an exception."

"I'm not leaving until you answer my questions, Bruce, and if you don't, I could go so far as to say something about your _night _life."

Bruce's face filled with obvious displeasure. "Why did I clue you into that again?"

I shrugged. "Secrets aren't meant to be kept from certain individuals," I said sweetly.

He sighed. "Alright, Miss Lane, ask your questions."

I grinned as I pulled out my recorder.

Clark met me at the punch bowl twenty minutes later as I celebrated my victory. Bruce had been rather sweet in his responses but I could tell in his eyes that he didn't enjoy the interview one little bit. The man was a great actor.

"You seem pleased," Clark commented as he lightly kissed my cheek in greeting.

"It's an accomplishment when you can get a man to open up to you," I shrugged.

"Hmmm, maybe you can give me a demonstration."

I blushed. "Clark, not on the job, remember?"

Clark took a casual sip of his punch. "I wasn't implying now, Miss Lane."

"Charmer," I muttered into my cup.

Clark suddenly froze, getting a faraway look on his face. I glanced up at him. "What is it this time? More hunters?"

He nodded. "They're close too. They just blew up half of Broadway. It's got to be that group called Dice. Hal said they specialized in explosives. I've got to go."

I grabbed his arm. "Clark, you can't go by yourself!"

Just then Diana and J'onn materialized out of thin air next to us. Both were wearing attire appropriate for the occasion. "Shall we ditch this affair and head to the real party?" Diana asked.

"Should have known you two would be babysitting," Clark muttered, slightly bitter. He turned to me and kissed my cheek. "_Don't _leave this party," he ordered.

I pouted. "But you're going where the real story is! That's not fair."

"Lois, please, for my sake, stay here where it's safe."

I looked into his eyes and deflated. "Fine," I sighed, "but you'd better give me details, Smallville."

Kissing my cheek again, he nodded before rushing off with Diana and J'onn. Bruce and Oliver seemed to magically disappear as well. I heard later that they were seen heading to the elevator probably to discuss further business propositions. I sighed as I watched smoke rise from Broadway Ave three blocks away. Superman and Wonder Woman could be seen periodically dodging in and out of the vapor. I sipped on my punch but refused to look away, my stomach swirling in a fit of knots. I didn't fully relax until Clark reappeared at my side an hour later to report that the group named Dice was on their way to a galactic jail in the custody of Green Lantern. I breathed again, my frazzled nerves relaxing as my nightmares proved once again to be false. However, an hour later when I was tucked under my covers alone in my small secondhand apartment, I couldn't help the fearful thought from plaguing my mind: would Clark be taken from me next time?

888

It had been two weeks since another pair of bounty hunters had been hauled into space by three Green Lanterns from different sectors. Hal seemed to know them all since they joked for a few minutes before bidding him farewell, dragging an unconscious set of blue, two-headed pink-haired creatures with them. I had the joy of writing the article after getting an interview with Hal, much to Perry's delight. He was practically doing back flips in his office because I was the first reporter to get exclusives with every member of the Justice League except for Batman who evaded any kind of press like the plague when confronted alone.

I was sitting at my little kitchen table in my apartment with a cup of steaming coffee in one hand and an evening copy of one of the three evening copies of different newspapers in the other. Jason was over at Richard's; due to it being Thanksgiving break, Jason was going to stay with Richard tonight since tomorrow he was going to spend the holiday with Perry while Clark and I were taking Jason to Lucy and Ron's.

I was just thinking about going to bed when there was a knock on my balcony door. I glanced up and was surprised to find Superman and Green Lantern standing there, the former having a rather sour expression on his face. I gave them both a questioning eyebrow, silently grateful that I'd thrown my robe over my nightgown.

"What's up?" I asked, sliding the door open.

The two of them entered. I shut the curtains to my balcony and turned around to find Hal and Clark standing in my living room, their suits gone. Clark still had a sour expression on his face.

"We found out who put the bounty on Clark's head," Hal revealed.

"That's great!" I said excitedly but then I noticed Clark's expression and the smile slid from my face. "Isn't it?"

Clark sighed. "He's known as the Preserver."

"He's a very famous collector in the intergalactic community," Hal explained when Clark refrained from elaborating further.

"What would he want with Clark?" I asked, clearly bemused.

"Lois," Clark said exasperated. "He's a _collector._"

He waited and suddenly it dawned on me. "He wants to add you to his collection?! What kind of sick joke is that? You're not an animal, Clark."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't seem to care what kind of species I am," Clark growled. "His purpose is to preserve all endangered life forms no matter what planet they come from."

"So he put out an illegal bounty on your head?" I wondered. "If he's a famous collector wouldn't he try to avoid doing something under the table?"

"Well, the Preserver isn't the violent type," Hal said. "I believe that he's been observing Clark for quite some time and sent out the warrant because he knew that Clark wouldn't be collected without a fight."

My heart skipped a beat. "Observing…"

Clark grabbed my shoulders. "Relax, Lois, he doesn't know anything about you."

"How could he not? He must be the one who caused the fires! He set my apartment and the Daily Planet roof of fire, Clark! He's got to know about me! And if he knows about me, he knows about us and Jason! Oh my gosh! He'll try to collect Jason too!"

Clark looked at Hal for help. Hal swallowed hard and put a hand on my shoulder. "Lois, he doesn't know about you or Jason."

"How do you know?" I snapped, desperate.

"Because the bounty is only for Clark," Hal reasoned. "Think about it, Lois, if he knew about Jason, he'd do anything to get him into his collection. His only focus is Clark. As to the fires, I don't think that was him. The Preserver isn't violent. He hires other people to do the dirty work rather than getting his own hands soiled. However, he covers up the dirty work through government approved documents signed by the Galactic Alliance."

"Galactic Alliance? You mean to tell me there's an alien government out there?"

Hal shrugged. "Is it a big surprise to you, Lois? I'm part of an intergalactic police force. Usually there isn't a police force if there isn't a government to run things."

"Okay…that makes sense," I muttered, "But, if it's a Galactic Alliance, doesn't that mean that there should be someone representing each planet?"

"Yes," Hal said slowly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Who's Earth's mouthpiece?" I demanded.

Hal shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't answer that Lois. It's top secret. That was one of the things I was sworn not to reveal after becoming a Green Lantern."

I frowned. "You mean to tell me that there's someone from Earth out there representing us in the midst of aliens and the human population as a whole has no idea that this is going on?"

Clark flinched at the word alien. I gave him an apologetic look.

Hal rubbed the back of his neck. "Lois, if word got out, it would cause mass panic. People had a hard enough time getting over the fact that Superman wasn't the only…"

Clark sighed. "It's okay, Hal. I can't change the fact that I'm an extraterrestrial. Lois, he's right. If the general public learned that such a thing was taking place the results would be catastrophic. There could very well be a rebellion that results in expelling me and J'onn from Earth."

Like I would ever let that happen. I was beginning to see the reason why the world remained ignorant. Clark and Hal were right. It was best keeping people in the dark. "Do the world leaders know about this?" I wondered, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Yes," Hal replied. "They came together and voted who should represent us. That had been quite the debate but after five hours they made a good choice."

"Who is it?"

Hal opened his mouth but froze. Narrowing his eyes, he scowled. "Nice try, Miss Lane."

I grinned and shrugged. "Can't blame me for trying, Hal. So, back to the Preserver, you said something about documents?"

"Oh, right, well, like every other government, in order for you to claim something to be yours, you have to have a signed document of legal rights," Hal explained.

"And he needs one in order to have Clark in his collection legally?" I guessed.

"Yes," Clark sighed. "But he doesn't have one since he's trying to use under the counter ways of collecting me."

"I did some digging and it appears that the Preserver first collects and then gets things legalized," said Hal.

I ran a hand through my unruly curls. "Well, I don't see what the problem is. The bounty hunters haven't succeeded yet and they won't." Clark and Hal shuffled their feet. I looked between the two of them. Neither could meet my gaze. I folded my arms and looked at them sternly. "Okay, what are you two not saying? Clark, spit it out!"

He shied away as if being burned. "Last week…the bounty hunters did succeed, Lois."

Sensing my growing panic and anger, Hal put in, "But we stopped them before they got farther than the moon, Lois, so everything's fine."

I breathed through my nose, trying to keep myself calm. I didn't fool Clark; he could hear my heartbeat from Pluto. "Do you mind telling me exactly how they managed to even leave the Earth's surface?" I demanded, spitting venom, rounding on Clark.

He swallowed. I was the only one who could cause the most powerful being on the face of the Earth to shrink away in fear. "L-Lois, they…they knocked me out."

"Using what?! Don't tell me they know about Kryptonite!" I shouted, about to faint.

Clark shook his head emphatically. "No, no, they don't know about that!"

"Then how on Earth did they knock you out?!"

"Magic," Clark explained. "It's my other weakness, Lois."

That floored me. "Magic? Like pulling bunnies out of a hat?"

Clark smirked. "Well, a little more advanced than rabbits and hats but, yes, Lois, magic."

"I didn't know that," I said.

"I forgot about it to be honest," Clark muttered. "I haven't had to deal with advanced magic like this since I grew up in Smallville. This bounty hunter managed to throw a particular spell at me that knocked me out and gave him just enough leeway to distract the League and yank me away."

My knees started to shake, the anger replaced with utter fear. Clark wrapped his arms around my waist, keeping me steady. "Shhh, Lois, it's going to be alright," he muttered into my hair.

I hadn't realized I was sobbing until I heard a strange gurgled cry escape my throat. I buried my face into his neck, forgetting completely that Hal was even in the room. My emotions had reached a breaking point. I had bottled up my fears for weeks, my nightmares occurred every night leaving me terrified to even get in bed, I was horrified about bringing Clark to meet my family for Thanksgiving, and to top it off Clark had actually been taken this time! If the League hadn't been there, he would have left me again!

I vaguely heard Clark mutter, "Only in the worst case scenario, Hal, not now. Yes, I'm sure. Yeah, see you later."

I continued to cry, not even looking up when my balcony door opened and closed. I didn't care about anything but Clark, knowing he was safe with me. He began to pull away but I latched onto him. "Please," I gasped, "don't leave me tonight. Don't go, Clark. I can't take it. I can't sleep. Every time I do, I have nightmares of waking up and finding you gone. Please, I know you said we should continue to be in separate apartments but, Clark, just for tonight, stay with me…_please_."

He kissed my forehead and lifted my chin. I looked up through my tears to see his beautiful blues displaying nothing but tenderness. "I'm not going anywhere, Lois."

"B-But what if you have to leave?" I blubbered.

Clark kept his eyes on me as he pulled out his cell. Not even looking at it, he held down a button and put his phone to his ear. Rubbing his thumb across my cheek, interfering with the tear trail down my cheeks, he spoke into the receiver. "Batman, I need you and Arrow to cover for me tonight. I have other obligations. Thank you." He hung up, still staring at me. "Like I said, I'm not going anywhere, Lois."

A fresh wave of tears poured from my eyes and I buried myself into his chest. How had I come to deserve this man? He always put me first, no matter what. And even though I knew that could potentially interfere with his obligations as Earth's Protector, I understood that Clark needed me just as much as I needed him. We were two sides of the same coin, incomplete without the other.

He gently lifted me into his arms and sat down on the couch stroking my hair and occasionally kissing my fingers as I let out all of the pent up stress through my emotions. I cried myself to sleep sitting in his lap with his warm arms around me. Honestly, it was the first time in weeks that I'd slept peacefully.

I woke slowly to several sounds. Birds were chirping through the window I'd left open the night before, the noise from the city mixing with their morning song as cars honked and people shouted for taxis. Then there was the constant rhythm like a drum in my right ear. It was steady, soothing, and reassuring all at the same time. Something pressed against my forehead and I sighed. It had been gentle kiss.

"Good morning," his voice placidly muttered into my hair.

I sighed again, completely content. "Hi," I whispered, still keeping my eyes closed. I was afraid that if I opened them, the dream would end.

"It appears that I once again successfully tamed the beast," he rumbled with laughter.

I smiled. "Richard just didn't possess the charm the beast required."

Clark laughed.

We sat there enjoying each other's company having no need for words until my cell phone rang. I sighed. "Do I have to get up?"

Clark chuckled. Still in a sitting position, I suddenly felt us leave the couch. Clark hovered us into the kitchen where my phone was on to charge. I glanced at the peculiarity of Clark floating in a sitting position in my kitchen with me on his lap; I wasn't going to complain. I didn't have to get up at all. Clark kept his arms around me as I brought the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lois."

"Richard!" I looked at the clock in the kitchen. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

I was supposed to pick up Jason at nine. It was now ten thirty. I started to panic but Richard calmed me down. "Lois, relax. Jason's on his way over to your place right now."

"What? He is? Are you coming over here?"

"No. I gotta say, I was shocked when Green Arrow showed up at my door around nine saying he was here to pick up Jason."

I blinked. "Green Arrow?"

"Yeah, you know, the vigilante who runs around in Star City?"

"I know who he is," I replied hotly, "I just hadn't arranged…" I looked at Clark who had a sheepish grin on his face. "Clark," I muttered, suddenly understanding.

"Excuse me?" Richard said.

"Oh, Clark called in a favor," I explained.

"Ahhh, that explains it then," Richard muttered. "Um, did you spend the night together or something?"

Recognizing the teasing in his tone, I blatantly replied, "Bye, Richard," before hanging up the phone.

"I figured you could use the sleep," Clark admitted as he stood while keeping me in his arms.

I raised my eyebrows as he carried me down the hall towards my room. I was afraid he was about to cross the boundary line he'd set himself but instead he opened the door and set me down. I smiled while inside I was slightly disappointed he hadn't entered my room; another good point on his moral character. He seemed to smile ever so slightly from the obvious disappointment in my eyes. Cupping my face, he kissed me gently. "I'm going to make some breakfast while you get ready. Jason should be here soon."

"Okay," I said, slightly lightheaded from such a tender kiss. Then I paused. "Clark?"

"Yeah, Lois?"

"If Oliver picked up Jason at nine, where is he? It doesn't take an hour and a half to get from Richard's house to my apartment."

Clark grinned. "The League took him to Denny's for breakfast per his request."

I shook my head trying to imagine the Justice League minus Clark sitting in a Denny's booth eating pancakes with my son. It was a humorous image. Smiling, I shut the door and began getting ready for the day. It wasn't until I hopped into the shower that I realized Clark was going to be introduced to my family today. How would I introduce him? We weren't exactly simply boyfriend and girlfriend. After all we'd been through we were so much more than that. But we couldn't say we were lovers either though five years ago we could. Golly, this was complicated.

Twenty minutes later I was standing in front of my closet, trying to decide what to wear. Eventually I settled on a thick green sweater that came down over my thighs, black leggings, and black knee high boots. My curls cascaded all around my face, a lost cause, and my make up hadn't turned out the way I'd wanted; surely the overall outfit would drown out the imperfections.

I found Clark standing in the kitchen just finishing up making pancakes. He wore a pair of jeans and a blue plaid shirt over a plain white tee. His hair was wet signifying that he'd rushed home and got ready for the day through super speed. The familiar smell of his cologne mixed with the cornfields of Kansas blended through the air with the pancakes. For a moment I almost was deceived into thinking he'd spirited us away to Smallville.

Upon my arrival, he turned around and I gasped. He looked a little nervous. "Do you like them?" he wondered.

I was speechless. Clark's glasses were different from the ones he usually wore. They were half frames, black rimmed on the top and square in shape. The lenses were still pretty thick like his old ones which in an odd way threw off anyone from really looking at his eyes. The new look hid Superman but it was still Clark.

"It was suggested that I upgrade," he muttered even more restless now since I hadn't yet spoken.

I walked into the kitchen, my eyes never leaving his sight. I stopped in front of him, peering into his eyes. Even from this angle I couldn't see Superman. The glasses were thicker than I thought they were; thick enough to make someone look away from his face so they didn't feel like they were being rude by staring at him so intently. Clark swallowed nervously.

I smiled. Leaning up on tiptoe, I kissed him gently. "Relax, Clark," I muttered against his lips. "I love them."

"Y-You do?" he asked, puzzled but relieved. "From your face I thought you hated them."

I laughed, walking over and digging into the plate he'd made me. "I was just surprised," I admitted. "I didn't think you could wear a different pair of glasses and get away with it. I've got to say though, these ones make you far more attractive."

Clark gulped. "Does that mean I'll be more noticeable?"

"Not if you keep up the bumbling reporter act," I assured. "Trust me, Clark, the second you start tripping over your own two feet people won't look twice at the new look. Wait, are you going to be wearing different clothes now too?"

He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, that was the idea."

I raised my eyebrows. "No more hideous second hand overly large suits? What's gotten into you Clark Kent?"

Clark smiled sheepishly. "Well, it wouldn't make sense to travel for five years and come back completely unchanged," he admitted.

"But, you've been back for months. Surely the sudden change will raise a few eyebrows," I said.

Clark then leaned over the counter to wipe a stray piece of egg from the corner of my mouth with his tongue. The gesture caused my heart to rocket into my throat. He chuckled, completely unfazed by the intimacy. My face burned as he pulled away, resting his head in his hand. "If people ask questions, I'll say I was saving up on a couple of paychecks and I wanted to impress the love of my life."

My heart was going a thousand miles a minute. Right then and there it was taking all my control not to drag Clark into my bedroom, consequences be hanged. I closed my eyes and focused on Jason, thinking about how he'd be arriving any minute. It helped to toss the immoral thoughts out of my head. Clark had a smug smile on his face when I looked at him. He was munching on a piece of toast.

"Don't even start," I warned.

He simply laughed.

I was thankful when the knock on the door came. Jason's little feet were heard pounding down the hallway as he skidded into the room. "Mommy!" he cried, latching onto me. "Guess what?!"

"What?" I asked trying to be surprised.

"The Justice League took me to Denny's!" Jason said with a large grin. "Barry and Hal had a contest on who could eat the most pancakes!"

"Oh really? Who won?" I asked.

"I did naturally."

I looked up to see the red head leaning against the doorframe. I smiled. "Hello, Barry. How are you?"

"Pretty good, Lois," Barry replied with a smile. "I heard you hounded Bruce for twenty minutes to get that interview printed in the Planet two weeks ago."

"You just might be next," I said cheerfully as Jason rushed over to give Clark a hug.

Barry shrugged. "Sure, Lois, if you can catch me."

I grinned. "I have several ways of tracking people down, Barry. When I'm on the hunt, nothing stops me."

Clark then came over to shake Barry's hand. "Thanks for bringing Jason home."

"No problem big guy," Barry said. "It's my day off in Central City so I get guard duty."

"What? But, Barry, it's Thanksgiving," I protested. "Surely you have family you need to be with?"

"Oh don't worry, my shift ends right after we get you wherever you're going. My mom's not expecting me until noon. I'm always late on the holidays."

"How can the fastest man alive be late?" Jason wondered.

Barry shrugged. "It doesn't matter how fast you are if you procrastinate."

Jason's brow furrowed. He tugged on Clark's jeans. "What does that mean?"

"It means putting things off to the last second," Clark explained.

"Oh," Jason said. "Daddy!" he gasped, suddenly looking at Clark. "Your glasses are different!"

Barry noticed too. "They look good, Clark. You finally caved huh?"

Clark shrugged. "I was in need of a few changes anyway."

"I like 'em," Jason said with a large grin. "Can I get glasses when I'm older too?"

Clark and I shared a smile. "Sure kiddo," I said.

"Are we going to Aunt Lucy's now?" Jason asked.

"In just a second," Clark said and literally in a second filled with a rush of wind he was back pulling a trench coat over his clothes. "Had to clean up the kitchen," he explained to my questioning look.

The ride to my sister's house was a pleasant one. Snow drifted down from the cloudy skies in droves, covering the city of Metropolis like a Christmas card. Barry had decided to run alongside us instead of taking up more room in the cab. Besides, it gave me the opportunity to have Clark's arm around my shoulders, his fingers playing with my curls. Ten minutes later we'd reached the suburbs where my sister Lucy, her husband Ron, and their two daughters, Rosy and Claire, lived. The General's car was parked in the driveway.

Clark stepped out of the cab first, then Jason, then me. Immediately I noticed a man standing on the street corner holding up an umbrella. Once the cab had pulled away, he walked up to us, trudging through six inches of snow. The man wore a long black trench coat, black boots, gloves, and a hat.

Jason was the first to greet him. "Hi J'onn!"

Barry then decided to appear. "You haven't been standing out here since breakfast, have you?"

J'onn shrugged. "I like watching the snow fall. It is a phenomenon that Mars never had the pleasure of witnessing."

"Yeah but you can watch it inside," Barry pointed out. "That way you don't get cold and wet."

"My feet are transparent in the snow and the cool air is also a rarity I didn't grow up with," replied J'onn.

Barry sighed. "Whatever, I gotta split. Clark, Lois, Jason, take care of yourselves."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Barry!" Jason called as the speedster disappeared in a blur of snow.

"J'onn, are you sure you don't want to come in?" I offered. "The holidays aren't meant to be spent alone."

J'onn smiled. "Don't worry, Lois, I have somewhere to go later. We're taking things in shifts so that everyone can enjoy the holiday."

I bit my lip, looking at Clark. A silent understanding seemed to be communicated between them. Clark took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Lois, J'onn will be fine. Come on, your sister's going to poke her head out in ten seconds to see if we're here or not."

I looked at the house then at J'onn and sighed. "Alright but if it gets cold you'd better come inside, J'onn."

The Manhunter smiled. "Thank you, Lois."

"Bye J'onn!" Jason said, giving him a hug before leaping through the snow to get to the front door.

Clark and I followed him up the path. Jason had already knocked and the door swung wide to reveal two teenage girls, one fifteen the other thirteen. Rosy was the oldest, standing tall like her father, with unruly black curls. Her sister, Claire, was shorter and her build more petite, with soft caramel colored hair that lightly flowed down her back to her waist. Both sisters latched onto Jason, enveloping him in kisses.

"Jason, you've gotten so big since the last time we saw you!" Rosy cried.

"Yeah he has," Claire agreed, squeezing Jason tighter.

"Alright girls, please don't choke my son to death," I said.

Two delighted gasps and a flurry of activity later I was engulfed in their arms as they both cried, "Aunt Lois! We missed you!"

I laughed. "I missed you too."

It was then that Rosy noticed Clark. He stood a little taller than usual for his Clark persona but then not enough for one to expect him to be as tall as he actually was. "Wow, who's the cutie, Aunt Lois?" Rosy whispered. Claire peeked around my shoulder to stare at the man her sister was talking about. I drew back and made the introductions.

"Rosy, Claire, this is Clark."

"Hello," Clark said pleasantly displaying one of his trademark goofy grins.

"Hello," they repeated a little shyly.

"Girls, don't leave the door open for all the snow to blow into the house," Lucy's voice chided as she came into the hallway. She had on a cooking apron decorated with painted handprints over her pregnant stomach. She was six months along and it was definitely starting to show. Lucy's eyes lit up when they rested on me. "Lois!"

She latched onto me in a tight hug. "Hey Luce," I said, hugging her back just as fiercely. "Sorry I didn't ever call you back after that fire fiasco. Things have been…"

"No need to apologize," Lucy said, brushing it aside. That's when she noticed Clark. He'd just shut the door to block out the snow. "Who's this?" she asked, giving Clark an interesting once-over.

"Lucy, this is Clark. Clark, this is Lucy."

"A pleasure to meet you," Clark said, slightly stumbling over a pair of shoes in the entrance way. Catching his balance before falling into anything, he took Lucy's hand and shook it.

"Nice to meet you too," Lucy replied. "Sorry about the shoes."

"Oh, no worries," Clark said cheerfully. "I'm just grateful you allowed me to spend the holidays with you."

"It's not a problem," Lucy assured. "Well, come on in, I need to make sure Ron isn't burning the potatoes. Dad's in the living room watching football."

Jason had already raced his cousins into the other room to play video games. Clark followed me down the hall into the kitchen where Ron was found mashing up potatoes in a large bowl. He paused from his work to greet us with a large smile.

"Well, if it isn't the famous Lois Lane," he said pleasantly. "I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever see you again the way Perry keeps you chained to the city beat."

I rolled my eyes. "Just because you started working at international a year ago doesn't mean we never see each other, Ron."

The tall, well toned man grinned broadly as he wiped his hands off before coming over to give me a hug. Clark's eyebrows rose in surprise to learn that my brother in law was one of our co-workers. I was sure they'd seen each other once in a while but because Ron dealt with international stories, we never really crossed paths. He was often running around on business trips to catch up with sources in tourist places such as California and New York.

Ron noticed Clark and smiled. "Clark Kent, right? I've heard legends about you in the newsroom."

"Really?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, Jimmy wouldn't shut up about you," Ron replied shaking Clark's hand.

"I've heard that one before," Clark muttered.

Someone cleared their throat in the entry way. I took in a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. This was it; the moment I'd been dreading for weeks. I turned from Ron to find my eyes locking on those with the General. "Hi Daddy," I said.

"Lois," he replied, his usual scowl turning upwards ever so slightly in what could be a smile. "Who's your friend?"

"Daddy, this is Clark. Clark, this is my dad, General Sam Lane."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Clark replied, holding out his hand.

The General looked Clark up and down taking in his jeans and plaid shirt like he was inspecting a soldier. Reluctantly he shook Clark's hand after a moment. I breathed a sigh. Human contact at least meant he approved of what he saw. "How do you know my daughter, Carl?"

"It's Clark, Dad," I clarified.

"Lois and I met at the Daily Planet several years ago," Clark answered. "We were partners five years ago until I left on a trip."

"Where did you go?" the General asked as he took a seat in front of the bar.

"I traveled all over," Clark said breezily.

I had to stop from rolling my eyes. None of them knew that was code for traveling all over the universe searching for Krypton. So far the exchange was going well. At least my dad was being civilized.

"Were you traveling for work?"

"Actually I was doing a little soul searching," Clark admitted.

"Why would you need to do that?"

This was fast becoming an interrogation. I wanted to intervene but Clark gave the briefest shaking of his head before continuing. "I was adopted when I was three," Clark explained. "I've always been satisfied with my adopted parents but like every person in the world, I wanted to find my real parents for myself. I wanted to know where I came from."

The General nodded not out of sympathy but out of the logic of the story. "And did you find what you were looking for?"

Clark became quiet, his eyes distant. At first I was afraid he'd heard a cry for help but then he shook his head and sighed. "I found a graveyard buried far away from here."

That was enough of the current situation. If my dad pressured him further, he'd want to know where the cemetery was located. I leapt in between them. "Daddy, how are things going at the Pentagon?"

"Fine," he replied but then turned his gaze back on Clark. "Carl, are you and Lois dating?"

The question was so forward. Lucy and Ron seemed to pause in their cooking preparations. I knew they were wondering who the mystery man was I announced would be joining us. With a sinking feeling I realized that Clark and I never discussed what details we'd give to them. I cursed inwardly at my neglect on the subject. Now we were faced with coming up with things on the spot.

Clark didn't take his eyes away from my father as he nodded in the affirmative. "Lois and I have been seeing each other for a couple of months now."

"What?" Lucy put in. "How come you didn't tell me, Lo?"

"Too much has been going on," I said.

"Lois, don't you think you're moving a little too fast?" my father asked, looking at me with a hard gaze.

I folded my arms and stood my ground. "No, Daddy, I don't."

"You haven't even been separated from Richard for half a year and you're already in another steady relationship," he pointed out. "Don't you think you need a little closure?"

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, Clark's standing right here."

"I know," he said without pause.

My scowl deepened. "Do you have a problem with Clark, Dad?"

"Yes I do," he said standing up to meet my growing ferocity. "Last I checked Jason's father was Richard. You're destroying my grandson by throwing another man into his life so soon."

"Actually, Mr. Lane, sir, that information is incorrect."

I looked over at Clark, my mouth dropping open. Was he going to…? Clark looked at me with a reassuring glance. The General had bristled into a stony silence. Nobody dared to say he was wrong unless, of course, they didn't know the punishments that could follow. Clark, however, seemed to radiate a certain presence. It wasn't exactly Superman but it wasn't entirely devoid of Clark Kent either. I was looking at Kal-El. My heart did a little flip as I watched him stand up and look down at my dad without the least amount of intimidation and might I say it was incredibly attractive.

The General didn't appear to be fazed by Clark's change in stance. "I think it best if you stayed quiet in this situation, young man."

Clark shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, but concerning this matter I have to inform you that you are mistaken concerning who Jason's father is."

"Oh, really? Who is it supposed to be? You?" the General scoffed. But then he froze. For the first time he noticed the similarities between Clark and Jason: the straight nose, the cheekbones, the shape of their eyes…it was the same.

The General rounded on me. "I thought you said Richard was Jason's father."

I folded my arms. "No, I assumed he was Richard's. Obviously, I was wrong."

"Jason is my son," Clark revealed and I noticed his tone carried parental pride.

Lucy and Ron were shocked but my father's expression was alarming. Many times I'd seen the swirling rage in his eyes when he was just about to punish soldiers and just like those times, he stood tall, grabbed Clark firmly by the arm, and marched towards the door. "We're going out," he called, "And don't any of you follow!"

Clark allowed himself to be steered from the room. I sighed. "He might try to shoot you," I said under my breath, "but I know you can handle this. Knowing you, you've been preparing for this encounter for weeks. Good luck, Clark. I love you."

The door slammed shut and a few minutes silence filled the kitchen before Lucy dared to break it. "Lois, Daddy's going to rip him up and down, you know that? I haven't seen him this angry since that time in England when a soldier triggered a grenade in the middle of the base while horsing around."

Ron ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Of all the times I've upset him, I've never seen the General that furious. I don't know if Clark can take it. From what I've heard, he's the biggest softy in the office."

I smiled and leaned back, for some reason feeling completely at ease. Maybe it was because I knew that no matter what my father tried to do, Clark was invulnerable. Maybe it was because I felt that if anyone could pacify my dad in a situation like this, Clark could. I had full confidence in him. "Both of you should relax," I said, picking up a handful of nuts and munching them down casually.

Lucy's mouth dropped open. "Clark's going to die, Lois! How can you be so calm?! Doesn't he mean anything to you?"

I looked at Lucy and let all the love I had for Clark show on my face. "Luce, he means more to me than you'll ever be able to understand. I have full confidence that he'll be fine because if you didn't notice, he's decided to love me and I'm practically renowned as the General's doppelganger. If he can tame me, I have no doubt he'll do the same to the General."

Lucy was sending me a strange look. I tried to ignore her calculated stare by focusing on the nuts. Ron went back to mashing the potatoes, unwilling to continue the conversation.


	13. The Request

13 The Request

Clark noted with silent amusement that the General had paused to grab his coat but refused to let Clark pick up his own; he supposed it was his way of saying that he wanted him to be as uncomfortable as possible. Clark silently thanked his aversion to different temperatures as he followed the General down the driveway to the sidewalk; someone from the city had come through and paved it down along with the streets. The moment they appeared, Clark noticed J'onn sitting on a bench just a few houses down.

_Going somewhere?_ J'onn asked in his mind.

_Lois' father wanted to discuss a few things with me,_ Clark mentally replied.

_Do you need an escort?_

_No. I'm afraid I can't call for backup in this particular battle_.

The Martian's laughter echoed in his mind. _Stay close_, he advised, his mental tone sounding humored.

_I will. _

They trudged past a couple of houses in anticipated silence. Clark wisely chose to let the General make the first move. They crossed the street, the houses transforming into apartment complexes. The General pulled Clark into the first available alley and folded his arms, looking menacing. Clark kept his expression neutral and waited.

The General's pattern of allowing his anger to boil over before speaking was very similar to Lois. Clark had to keep the grin from sliding on his face as he realized just how alike they were; Lois even had the General's eyes.

"Carl," the General began in full shout, "who the heck do you think you are?"

Clark raised an eyebrow. "A farm boy from Kansas, sir," he said, deciding on giving him part of the truth.

The General, of course, took this as sarcasm. "Are you cracking wise?" he snapped. Without waiting for Clark to reply, he plunged into his tirade, pacing back and forth. "You got my daughter pregnant and left her! I'm assuming you didn't even think to contact her after having that one night stand?" he shot Clark a nasty look. Clark's silence seemed to answer that question so he kept going. "And then you have the gall to waltz right back into her life, ruin her relationship with a _good_ man, and steal her son from the only father he's ever known! What gives you the right?

"I don't approve of the way you do things, boy! You made a foolhardy decision and ran away instead of taking responsibility! You only came back when it was convenient for you! Waited until he was older so you didn't have to face all the responsibilities of a new father, huh? You'd rather have a good hardworking man do all the dirty work and then swoop in for all the credit! Well, I don't approve of it. I don't approve of your relationship to my daughter or to my grandson no matter if your blood flows through his veins. And I certainly don't approve of _you!_"

The General's spit flowed from his mouth, pieces of spittle flying onto Clark's face even though the man was a head shorter than him. Clark didn't move an inch through the whole confrontation. He wasn't even angry as the General showered him with such negativity because he understood where he was coming from. He even felt he deserved it. In a strange way it felt good to have someone besides him shout all the guilt he had self inflicted on himself ever since he got back.

The General breathed heavily and then jabbed a finger into Clark's chest. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Carl?!"

Before Clark could speak, the familiar sound of a gun clicking out of its safety lock resonated through the alley just behind him. Both he and the General froze as a cold voice whispered, "Sorry to break the love chat but I'm in no mood to sit around and wait until you're finished. Now turn around real slow-like."

Clark did as told, holding up his hands. He tried to shield the General as much as possible. "Sir, I really don't think you should be doing this," he said calmly, very unlike the usual Clark Kent.

"Shut up!" the man cried, holding the gun aloft. He was poorly dressed, his sweats covered in stains, his hoodie pockmarked with holes. He didn't have any shoes. The poor soul was obviously freezing to death. Clark wondered where he'd managed to pick up a gun but figured he'd probably stolen it.

"What do you want?" Clark asked.

"What do you think, man?" he said sarcastically but nervously. His eyes darted up and down, back and forth, constantly checking to make sure they weren't interrupted.

Clark sighed. "Sir, I'm not going to give you anything."

"And neither am I, junior," the General said, stepping out from behind Clark in open defiance. "Put down the toy before you get hurt."

Insulted, the man turned the gun on the General and fired. Everything slowed down for Clark and he watched the bullet slowly whizzing through the air towards Sam Lane. Why was it that when it came to the Lanes, he always found himself in an alley saving them from bullets? Who was next, Lucy? Almost lazily, he reached up and snatched the bullet from the air. Everything went back into normal speed. The General blinked, the mugger looked on in confusion and Clark stood to his full height. Terrified, the mugger shot the remaining bullets out of the barrel. Clark caught every single one. For dramatic effect, he held out his fist, opened his fingers, and allowed the now crunched up bullets to fall into the snow.

The mugger's eyes widened. "Oh my-!" he turned tail and ran out of the alley.

"General, please stay here," Clark said in his deep timbre Superman voice.

The General looked on in shocked disbelief as Clark spun on his heel, changed into his suit, and took off after the mugger. He didn't have trouble finding him. In his escape the poor man had tripped into a snow bank. Superman picked him up gently by the back of his hoodie and pulled him free of the snow.

"Don't hurt me!" the man cried, shielding his face. "I didn't mean to do it! I was desperate!"

"Sir, calm down," Superman said, setting him down. "Contrary to whatever it is that you've heard I don't bodily injure criminals."

"I'm not a criminal," the man said.

Superman raised an eyebrow. "You tried to mug me and my friend in an alley and shot at us when we wouldn't give in to your demands."

The poor guy started to blubber. "I was desperate! I…I ran out of cash. I'm in a rough spot Mr. Superman, sir. I lost my job and my apartment when the company went bankrupt. I've hit rock bottom. I wasn't always like this. I used to be a good law abiding citizen. Now look at me," he muttered pitifully, "Living on the streets, stealing a gun from the store, and trying to mug someone who turns out to be none other than Superman!"

Superman studied the man silently before taking his cape off and throwing it over his shoulders. "You need it more than I do," he said at his stunned but questioning expression.

Immediately he tried to give it back. "I can't take this!"

Superman stepped back. "Sir, it's a gift. You really do need it. You're going to get pneumonia from being out in the snow without any shoes. Now, what's your name?"

"David Jenkins," the man muttered, shivering and wrapping the cape over his shoulders.

"Well David, I can't allow you to walk away when you've committed crimes but I do have a few friends who may be willing to give you a job."

David looked at Superman and his eyes slowly filled with tears. "I…I don't deserve this," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Superman smiled. "Times can be really rough, David. I help where I can. You're a good man. You've never shot someone before today."

"How did you know?"

"Your aim. I've had plenty of people shoot at me."

That caused him to smile. Superman was glad to hear his heartbeat slow to a steady rhythm. "So, what happens now?" he asked timidly.

Superman sighed. "Well, I'm going to have to take you in, I'm afraid."

David looked downcast. "Okay."

"I'll make sure they go easy on you," Superman promised.

Lifting David by his arms, Superman took to the sky, landing in front of Metropolis' Police Department two minutes later. After explaining the situation, the guards assured they'd show David the best hospitality that could be given in a police department.

"Let him keep the cape, please," Superman said. "It's a gift."

The officers raised their eyebrows. Superman brought in criminals all the time but he never left them his cape. They looked at David with renewed interest. David looked at Superman with admiration and gratitude.

"Wait," he said as the officers began to lead him away. They paused. "Superman, can I talk to you for a moment, just a moment."

Superman nodded his consent. David walked over to him and muttered quietly, "It's not any of my business but, sir, may I ask why you were dressed like a normal guy?"

Superman grinned. "Sometimes I have to go undercover when I'm tracking criminals down. That man was one of my sources."

"He was yelling awfully loud."

"Did you hear what he was saying?"

"No," David said with a shake of his head and from the sound of his heartbeat Superman could tell he'd spoken honestly.

Superman gave him an assuring smile. "It was all an act to keep people away. Awkward situations tend to make people uncomfortable."

David's eyes filled with understanding. "Oh…! Right! Well, thanks again for the cape and…for not pounding me to a pulp."

Superman placed a hand on his shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Mr. Jenkins. I'll try to see if some of my friends would be willing to hire you after you've been released."

"You don't have to go to all that trouble," David muttered.

"It would be my pleasure," Superman assured. He then waved to the officers and left capeless. As he flew away he heard the officers as they escorted David through the station.

"He never gives his cape away. If I were you I'd keep that forever."

"I will," David muttered, his voice full of respect.

Superman smiled. He landed in the alleyway, finding that the General hadn't moved a muscle. After checking that the coast was clear, Superman spun on his heel and changed back into civilian clothes. He pulled his glasses out of his pocket and replaced them on his nose before turning back to the General.

Deciding to keep his voice the same usual Superman tone, he stood tall. "Sir, I want you to know the accusations made concerning me I agree with ninety nine percent."

"What?" was all he managed to say for he still appeared to be in a state of shock.

Clark continued anyway, ignoring the stunned expression. "I say this because there is one thing I need to make clear with you though it won't change what's resulted in my departure five years ago. When I left to travel to Krypton, I didn't know that Lois was pregnant with Jason. Had I known, I would have stayed here on Earth. I would have married her. And I would have raised Jason from birth. Unfortunately, that did not occur and I'm truly sorry for that. I have apologized to Lois and was completely willing to stay out of her life and allow Richard to continue to raise my son if that would have been as she wished. However, Richard stepped down and Lois and Jason needed someone so I stepped up. I took them in, I revealed myself, and we have decided to try our relationship again.

"I have done my utmost to not repeat the past. I have dated Lois traditionally and have done nothing to bring in additions to our family. I want to do things right and therefore, after having officially dated Lois of her own free will for several months, I find this the opportune time to ask your permission to marry her. I promise I will not leave her or your grandson every again, I'll provide for them, I'll keep them safe, and I'll do everything to live up to your expectations."

Clark knew that it was quite the bomb he'd just released on the General but he knew an opportunity when he saw one. The General had already released the worst of his wrath. It had been Clark's plan all along to reveal himself to him; it was the only way he could justify receiving the General's permission to marry Lois. David had provided the perfect opportunity. Clark knew that somewhere fate was smiling upon him. He'd learned long ago that when things like this happened they weren't merely coincidences but planned incidents from a higher power. And he would be stupid for not taking action so he had.

The General appeared to be picking his shock up off the snow ridden floor. "You're Superman?" he muttered quietly.

"Yes," Clark replied.

Unlike most people who would probably fall over at the revelation, the General merely smacked his forehead and leaned against the wall. "Of course," he muttered. "Lois would never settle for anyone less after breaking up with Richard. He was the best, well, second best, compared to you. Everything about him was similar to you, you know that? All of us could see why she was attracted to him. The man is as close to you as a human can get. I was shocked at first when she said she was bringing another man over for the holidays. But now that I know who you are, everything makes sense now."

He looked over at Clark, giving him a once over. "Your disguise is good."

"Thanks."

"A pair of glasses and a made up story of being a farm boy."

"Well, the glasses may be fake but when I said I was a farm boy from Kansas I wasn't lying." The General raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Clark smiled. "I know; hard to believe that the Man of Steel was raised on a farm. Most people assume I grew up on Krypton and made my way to Earth as the last survivor. Well, their wrong. My parents sent me here when I was a baby. I arrived on Earth about the age of three. Jonathan and Martha Kent found me and raised me as their own. I don't know why they didn't turn me over to the government when they saw me and my ship lying in a cornfield but I'm grateful. I was raised just like everybody else although not like everyone else seeing that my powers developed as I grew. It's a good thing I was raised out in Smallville; it helped conceal the unexplainable things that I could do."

The General shook his head. "You know I'm part of the government right? I could have the Kents arrested for withholding information."

Clark smirked. "But you won't."

The General kept his stern expression but replied, "You're right, Clark. I won't."

Clark noted that he called him by his name rather than Carl. He must have done it to intimidate him. Smart man, Clark silently mused.

"So you want to marry Lois."

Clark looked him right in the eye and said with all the sincerity and seriousness he could muster, "More than anything, sir."

General Lane observed him silently for ten painstakingly long minutes. Clark had an idea of his inner struggle. He was sure it was everything that Clark had going through in his head when he'd considered marrying Lois before. Clark decided the man had to come to whatever resolve he decided on his own so he remained silent, waiting. After what felt like an eternity, Clark saw the toughened outer exterior diminish, allowing a much softer interior to be displayed within the General's eyes.

"You love her," he said softly, tenderly. It wasn't at all the gruff, rouge tone he'd usually spoke with.

"Yes," Clark replied, his voice oddly filled with passion he normally wouldn't display.

"And she loves you," the General said, his own voice now thick with emotion.

"I believe so," Clark muttered though he was confident.

"Oh, she does, son, believe me, she does," the General said with a pleasant chuckle. "I know my little Lo very well even if we repel like magnets. Fathers tend to know their daughters."

Clark nodded, remaining silent.

General Lane folded his arms, his decision having been made. Clark prepared himself for whatever may come. "Before I speak my mind, I have to know…who's asking the question?"

"Um…sir?"

The General smirked. "Is Superman asking or is Clark Kent?"

Clark wondered if his answer depended upon whether or not the General would grant him his desire. After a moment he decided to answer honestly. "Publically and privately, Clark Kent is asking the question but privately Superman is as well."

A satisfied smile reached all the way up to the General's eyes. "You've really thought this through, haven't you?"

"I've had five years to think it over," Clark confessed. "Traveling in a spaceship for that long tends to make you reflect upon the most important things."

The General laughed. "Well, I trust you, Clark. Even though you left, it all makes sense why you did now that I know. And because I know who you are, I know that anything concerning Lois will always be spoken of by you as truth." He stepped forward and put his hand on Clark's shoulder. "I give you both my blessing under strict understanding that if you ever hurt her again, I'll stake you with kryptonite myself."

Clark's smile widened, his happiness surging all the way down to the cores of his soul. "If I ever do sir, I'll help you."

The General laughed.

"Thank you," Clark muttered. "I promise I'll love her forever."

"I don't doubt it, son. Now come on, it's freezing out here and I'm hungry." The gruff general was back. Clark smiled and followed him with a spring in his step as the two made their way back to their loved ones and a delicious turkey dinner.

Once they'd entered the house, the smells of fresh Thanksgiving dinner caused their stomachs to growl. The General looked at Clark with amusement. "So you eat like everyone else?" he asked quietly.

Clark laughed. "Sorry," he said, chuckling at the General's bemusement, "it's just that Lois asked me the same thing in our first interview."

"Oh," the General muttered, understanding.

"I _do_ eat. I also sleep but I don't need as much as humans do. I can go for about a week without it before exhaustion catches up with me. I guess being raised as one of you, I got used to the pattern of sleeping every night so I do."

The General took this in stride as he hung up his coat. He paused as he looked at Clark who was brushing snow off his shoulders. "I'm sorry I didn't let you grab your coat. Would it have mattered?"

Clark smirked. "Actually, no; I'm indifferent to temperature. Whether hot or cold I can't feel it. No matter the weather it's always a comfortable temperature to me."

The General frowned. "Must be nice," he muttered just as Lois rounded the corner, unable to stay away from the two men any longer.

Clark kissed her lovingly on the forehead the moment he was close enough to reach her. The General watched in awed silence as Lois's face softened, her guard completely thrown down from such a simple gesture. In all his years he'd never seen any man break that wall, not even Richard. It was confirmation that Clark Kent, Superman, was meant for her and she for him. He wouldn't have believed it; an alien was going to marry his daughter. But, he wasn't anything like the alien portrayals in movies and cartoons. No, Clark Kent was just as human as the rest of the planet.

Lois looked from Clark to her dad. Her eyes demanded an explanation. Clark squeezed her shoulders lightly. "He knows."

The General watched Lois's eyes widen as she looked from Clark to him and back again. "After all those years of keeping yourself hidden you go and reveal your biggest secret to my father?" she asked, flabbergast.

Clark actually laughed aloud. "Lois, relax."

"_How can I relax?!_ You realize he's a General in the US Army, right?"

Clark took Lois by the shoulders and looked right into her eyes. "Secrets aren't for families, Lois."

She looked stunned. Overwhelmed, she rubbed her eyes and then looked at Clark again. "Clark, you're not going to…are you?"

"Are you suggesting I don't?" Clark asked.

Lois bit her lip. "It's not that I don't want you to…"

"But?" Clark prompted.

"Well, it's just…it's a big secret to keep, Clark! The more people who know, the bigger the danger!"

"You're right, it is a big secret to keep," Clark agreed, "but Lois, I'm willing to share it – and protect those involved – for the sake of you having your family to support you should the burden sometimes feel too heavy to bear alone."

888

I couldn't believe Clark had just said those words to me. How did he know that this particular fear had been on my mind for weeks? This man…every day he surprised me and it only deepened my love for him. Still, I was going to be stubborn. "I don't know," I muttered.

Clark rolled his eyes. "Lois, I know you. I know that you would rather bear things alone than involve other people; it's part of your independent personality that I love so much. But, sweetheart, you're not invincible. You can't keep something all to yourself, believe me. If I didn't have my mother to confide in, I would have literally gone crazy from keeping who I really am from the world. I can't tell you what a relief it is to have other people know. And it's definitely a bonus when things get hard. I know you're concerned about safety for everyone involved but I feel it's appropriate to tell your family about who you're really dating. They have a right to know."

I wanted to keep the debate going, to stall him from including Lucy and Ron, but he had brought everything to the table and it was undeniably comforting to see the blessings of letting my family know. It was also touching to me that Clark trusted my family enough to let them know who he really was. This was one of the many things he'd done to show me that he truly loved me.

"Fine," I finally caved, "but only Lucy and Ron should know. Rosy and Claire are too young."

"Lois, Jason knows and he's six."

"Jason's your son. It's different," I hedged.

Clark surprised me then by turning to my father. "What do you think, sir?"

The General's eyebrows rose towards his hairline. "Why are you asking me, Clark? This is your secret to share."

"You're the patriarch of this family," Clark replied. "I find your opinion valid where your family is concerned. Whatever your decision, I support it, sir."

The General smiled and I had to keep myself from letting my mouth drop open. Since when did the General look at any of my boyfriends with such respect and, dare I say it, pride?! He hadn't even looked at Richard like that and he'd confessed to me once that he was the best man I'd ever brought home. Now he and Clark go for one walk, come back, and Clark has him eating out of his hands, his approval is so profound! I couldn't wrap my mind around it.

"I think, for the sake of safety, the girls should be kept in the dark for now," the General answered. "Only when things get out of hand do I think we should tell them."

Clark nodded, seeming thoughtful. "They don't act like Lois, do they?" he asked.

I punched his arm. Anticipating the move, he shifted away from the impact so I wouldn't break my hand. I realized that all those times I'd punched Clark in the office he'd done this. That…! Oh my gosh, even if I hit him as hard as I could, it would probably feel like a breath of air to him. Why did that annoy me?

Clark smirked from my indignant stare. The General chuckled. "No, they act more like their parents, why?"

"If they were like Lois and found out after everyone else has known, they'd be sure to tear all of us to pieces," Clark explained while I huffed angrily.

"I don't do stuff like that," I lied.

Clark laughed. "Of course you don't." He kissed my hair.

Stupid Clark.

The General chuckled. "I hope you're willing to put up with her, Clark. She can be quite the fireball."

Stupid General.

"I think I can handle anything she throws at me," Clark assured. Then he leaned in and added in a quiet whisper, "It only deepens the spell she has on me."

I shivered and tried really hard not to blush up to my ears. "Clark," I said a little forcefully, "when are you going to break the news?"

"Later," Clark muttered, suddenly sounding rushed.

It was then that Lucy came around the corner. "What are all of you whispering about?" she asked, obviously feeling left out. "Daddy didn't wait until they got back to try to shoot Clark did he?"

"Nobody is going to get shot today, Luce," the General replied, walking past Lois and Clark with false indifference.

Lucy grinned. "You approve."

The General continued to frown. His back to Clark he shrugged and vaguely replied, "For now."

But everyone within the sound of his voice heard the smile hidden behind the words. I reached up and kissed Clark on the chin. "Welcome to the family."

Clark grinned.

After dinner, while the kids were distracted with a movie, Clark shared his secret with Lucy and Ron. They'd taken the news well even though they were still in shock when he said goodbye to them later that night. It would take a while to get used to but I could see that Clark was incredibly happy that they hadn't rejected him. So was I. Lucy demanded that we get together sometime as sisters to catch up on things. I promised I would fill her in on all the details later.

888

"_WHY_ in the world does everyone have to punch and kick and shove just to try to get a toy?" I grumbled as I literally elbowed someone in the side to get out of the crowd of angry people in the mall.

Clark laughed beside me, his glasses askew as he disentangled himself from the bodies. "You weren't exactly waiting patiently yourself, Lois."

I glared at him. We were in the middle of the mall on Black Friday. I don't know what possessed me to join the madness every year but it had its perks; there were always stories to be found from being one with the action and Perry loved when I had eyewitness of someone getting thrown from one of the most expensive stores in Metropolis for disturbance of the peace to shoplifting on the busiest day of the year.

Clark adjusted his glasses and looked around. People were shoving and yelling as they ran through the crowds trying to reach the stores they desired to get the best deals. He sighed. "This isn't what Christmas should be about."

I bumped him lightly with my hip. "Come on, Smallville, lighten up. The ugly stuff only lasts a day."

"Yeah but it doesn't make it right, Lois."

"I didn't say it did. People act like wild animals when they sniff out a good deal. I don't like it any better than you do but if you focus on everything you see on the surface you're going to get depressed. I try to look for the motivation behind the desperation and that helps me to see that the reason why everyone is so frantic to get what they came for is so they can give the perfect gift to the ones they love. That's why we're here. We're shopping for Jason because we care about him and we want to give him a Christmas he'll never forget."

Clark looked at me and then kissed my forehead. "You're remarkable, you know that?"

I blushed, surprised by the open affection when surrounded by such chaos. "There's nothing really to be stunned over, Clark."

He smiled, took my hand, and squeezed it gently. "You always know how to calm me down. I love you for that, Lois."

I smiled, clearly pleased. "I love you too. Now, come on, we need to book it before all the other things we came for are gone."

I dragged Clark back into the fray, passing Hal Jordan in the process. He and Barry had decided to brave the masses and watch Clark through the shopping spree. Barry had already beat everyone to get the things he wanted at top speed and Hal liked to shop throughout the year for his gifts so as to avoid the lunacy that Clark and I had decided to join. Hal sent us a firm nod before returning to pretending to look at the stores like he was wondering which one he should enter.

After three hours, Clark and I found ourselves sitting on a bench in one of the courtyards with several bags filled with toys, clothes, and other paraphernalia. Hal and Barry had joined us and were wearing similar smirks as they eyed the purchases clearly for Jason. The kid was going to own more superhero stuff than he knew what to do with; it wasn't my fault all he'd written on his list were things inspired from the Justice League.

I pulled out Jason's list from my bag and double checked to make sure we had gotten everything. Clark hadn't helped in some cases, seeing this was his first Christmas in five years and he had a son to spoil. I had to stop him from buying a grand piano. I shuddered to even think about how much of his salary he'd been willing to sacrifice on monthly payments for three years. I convinced him that an electric piano would be fine for now since Jason was still too young to determine whether he'd want to pursue the piano in the future.

"I think we got everything," I muttered, finally reaching the bottom.

"That last purchase was a nightmare to watch," Barry laughed. "You nearly yanked that woman's hair out, Lois!"

"Well, I had my hands on the action figure first," I defended. "It wasn't my fault she latched onto it and tried to rip the arms off in an attempt to get me to let go."

"Yeah, but going so far as to step on her foot…" Hal muttered.

"Look, that was the last thing Jason wanted and though I don't know why he would want a three foot tall action figure of Batman when he can see him anytime, I wouldn't want to see his disappointed face when he received every other member of the Justice League except for the Dark Knight on Christmas morning."

Hal and Barry shrugged, but didn't try to respond from my agitation. Clark patted my shoulder. "You're a good mother, Lois."

I sighed and closed my eyes, rubbing my temples. I hadn't meant to snap at Hal and Barry. I was just stressed. Even though I'd bought everything needed for Jason – after working everything out, Richard had returned the money he'd taken from the accounts that rightfully belonged to me – I still hadn't found something for Clark. What could you get the Man of Steel? I'd been stressing about it for a while and now that the day of good deals had finally arrived I didn't know what to do. I wanted to get him something special; something that would mean something. But _what?!_

My thoughts were interrupted as the glass ceiling above our heads shattered. Clark leapt over the top of me as a shield from the falling shards while Hal and Barry sprang into action. Due to the chaos and everyone screaming to get out of the line of fire nobody noticed as Hal slipped on the ring and changed into Green Lantern or Barry who disappeared in a whirl of wind to come back as the Flash.

Green Lantern created a dome over the area, sparing people from the glass while Flash ran around helping people to their feet. I looked up just in time to see a man fall through the exploded ceiling onto Green Lantern's dome. He was wearing a red trench coat and large brown boots and had flowing brown hair.

"Which bounty hunter are you?" Green Lantern asked as he watched the man slide down the dome to the floor.

He looked up at Green Lantern with soulless black eyes…_four_ eyes. I shuttered. Clark picked me up and carried me off to the side to join the other shoppers who'd gathered to watch the spectacle. Clark kissed my cheek before slipping into the crowd. I sighed in anger. If that creature ruined any of the presents I got for Jason, I'd kick him into space myself! I was not in the mood for another bounty hunter.

"I am Hanz, Green Lantern 2814," he answered. "And I don't fear you or the Corp. I've evaded capture for years. You will fail at detaining me just as much as the other-"

He was interrupted as a blur of red and blue slammed into him from the side, crashing him into the wall. Superman stood over him looking thoroughly ticked off. "I'm not in the mood to deal with this today," he stated, picking Hanz up by the gruff laced cravat he had around his neck.

Hanz used this opportunity to smash a hidden blade into Superman's arm. The metal shattered against his skin, the chips flying everywhere. Several cut into Hanz's face leaving little trails of orange blood. Four black eyes widened revealing a hint of white, the creature's expression one of absolute shock.

"But…that blade was made of Amoriana," he muttered, "It's an indestructible metal on my planet. That blade has killed every opponent I have ever faced."

"I guess you overused it," Superman said sternly. Before Hanz could respond, he lifted his finger and flicked the alien in the forehead. Hanz went out like a light, his body slumping in Superman's grip. He turned to Green Lantern and Flash. "Really?" he muttered to them both. "This guy was a bounty hunter?"

Green Lantern shook his head with an exasperated smile. "Superman, Hanz is a pretty famous criminal. Even I've heard of him and he is usually known for wreaking havoc on the other side of the universe. That blade you just shattered was his ace. The poor guy was probably in complete shock."

Superman frowned. "Want to turn him in, Lantern? Flash and I will clean things up here."

Green Lantern made a cell out of his ring, encasing Hanz. "I'll be back in an hour," he replied before shooting through the open roof.

Flash appeared at his side. "So, clean up duty, huh? Race you?"

Superman smirked. "You're on."

The crowd watched as a red blur mixed with a blue and red blur whizzed around in a swirl of fierce wind. Ten seconds later Superman and Flash reappeared. The floor was completely devoid of glass, the roof had been repaired, and the wall Superman had smashed Hanz into was now smooth. Flash held a small shopping bag in his hands containing the remains of the shattered blade. "Take that to Batman so he can analyze it," Superman said, using super speech which could only be used and understood by people who possessed super speed.

"Will do," Flash said also in super speech. "Don't you dare leave the mall until you see one of us."

"I won't," Superman promised.

Flash disappeared, Superman waved to the citizens and flew out of the mall's doors. I quickly walked over to my purchases, all accounted for including the Batman action figure I had to fight so hard to buy. I sighed as I sat down on the bench, thinking about Hanz and all the other bounty hunters who'd shown up in the last two months. This was getting ridiculous. Surely the government had noticed the extraterrestrial visits; why hadn't they reported it to the intergalactic government yet? Maybe they already did and were aware of the problem. These threats were in the Green Lantern's jurisdiction after all and he was taking care of it. Hal had probably brought in more criminals alone than any other in the Corp. What worried me was that this was sure to come back to haunt us. We were making a ton of enemies that didn't even dwell on Earth.

At this point I wanted to find the Preserver and beat the crap out of him. At this rate he was going to ruin Christmas and I was not going to stand for that. The next bounty hunter that showed up was going to end up tasting my six inch high stilettos. I'd had enough. I looked up at the ceiling with vengeful thoughts when Clark reappeared, pecking me on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful," he muttered.

"I want a statement later," I said.

Clark smiled, my demand lightening the mood just as I hoped it would. "Of course, Miss Lane," he said softly.

"Alright, now that _that's_ out of the way, ready to go? I want some hot chocolate."

Clark looked around and stopped to stare at a rich blond making his way out of a suit store, a cell phone on his ear. Clark raised an eyebrow. I looked over and recognized the blond as none other than Oliver.

"Oliver brought a car for us," Clark revealed. "It's waiting just outside with the keys under the mat. He'll follow behind on his motorcycle."

"He's riding a motorcycle in this weather?" I asked incredulously while looking out at the falling snow.

Clark smirked. "He doesn't mind. Come on; let's get that hot chocolate to go."

888

It had been a week since Black Friday and Clark was relieved that it had been bounty hunter free. It had been nice to be able to go back to only worrying about earth-bound criminals and natural disasters. He'd had his hands full at the Planet too; Perry felt to pour loads of stories on both him and Lois to keep each other so busy they hardly had any time in the evening to privately be together. He found time each day to be with Jason who appeared to love nothing more than to spend his time sitting at his desk coloring pictures and doing his homework.

Richard had come back to the Planet to be the Assistant Editor after Thanksgiving. Everyone seemed happy to see him back, especially Perry. He was usually in his office typing away at his computer. Clark glanced over at Richard; he'd just returned from refilling his coffee in the break room. He appeared to be deep in a story. Clark looked at his watch. Lois had run out to meet with a source and wouldn't be back for twenty more minutes. Jason was busy coloring a picture of Batman next to him. Clark stood; it was now or never.

"I'll be right back, kiddo," he said, ruffling Jason's hair.

"Okay, Daddy," Jason said.

Clark walked over to Richard's door and knocked. The man started, looking up from the notes he was poring over. "Oh, hey Clark," he said while setting his notes aside. "What's up?"

Clark walked into the office and shut the door, an unusual occurrence. Richard looked at him questioningly. Clark appeared nervous. What would make the Man of Steel so uncomfortable?

"I was wondering if you were still available to watch Jason tonight," he said.

Richard, though surprised, nodded. "Yeah, I told you I would. Are you alright?"

Clark ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "I'm just nervous."

Richard's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "You're Superman. What on earth would have you so nervous?" Clark didn't answer. He looked uncomfortable. Richard observed him for a moment more and then comprehension dawned. "You're going to propose, aren't you?"

Clark flinched and shuffled his feet, suddenly becoming very agitated. "Yeah," he confessed, his eyes on his shoes.

Richard smirked. "Well it's about time."

Clark froze. "What?"

Richard's smile deepened. "Clark, I haven't been with Lois for seven months. There's no reason to feel like it's too soon. She's been waiting for this for seven _years_. So have you. I'm honestly shocked it's taken you this long to get up the courage to put a ring on her finger when it's so obvious it's what both of you have always wanted."

Clark opened and closed his mouth several times, humoring Richard further; he'd caused the Man of Steel to be speechless. Too bad he couldn't brag about that to anyone.

"Go get her, Clark," he urged.

Clark continued to be rooted to the floor. "You're serious?" he gasped.

Richard laughed. "Yes."

Clark swallowed. "Are you sure?"

Richard paused, testing out how he truly felt about all of this. Yes, he still loved Lois but now it had transformed to being a love that a brother would have for a sister. He wanted nothing more than to see her happy and truth be told she'd been happier in the last four months than she had ever been with him. He knew the source of that happiness was Clark and even if he had to drop kick Clark into getting on with sealing the deal, he'd do everything he could to make sure they were together. Oddly, it wasn't a painful thought to see Lois with Clark. In fact, it was surprisingly a huge relief!

Richard realized his silence was being misinterpreted; Clark's face was filled with guilt. "Clark! Before you get the idea that I'm not happy, let me correct you. I was simply thinking about how you really are meant for Lois and she for you. And that doesn't make me sad! I'm actually quite happy about it. In all the years I was with Lois she never truly let down the walls of her heart. Sure I broke in further than anyone but when I reached the last defense I realized it had a lock on it so thick only you could break it. I mean that Clark; no other person on this earth could crumble that wall but you. You're the one she needs."

"But what about you?" Clark muttered.

Richard couldn't believe his ears. Clark had just been handed everything he'd ever wanted and he was concerned about _his_ love life? The man was out of this world…well, he wasn't from this world…but still! Richard couldn't comprehend Clark. He'd never met another man who would show such genuine concern for someone who was almost responsible for ripping all happiness from his existence. Clark really was one of a kind.

Clark continued, "I left for five years and you stepped into Lois and Jason's lives. You provided for them, made memories with them, and loved them. What right do I have to take all of that away from you? I never would have wished this to happen. I'm sorry, Richard."

Richard shook his head. "You are, by far, the weirdest man I have ever met, Clark. Only you would think backwards."

"What do you mean?" Clark asked, bemused.

"I was the one who almost took everything away from you not the other way around. You had Lois first. Jason is literally your son. I just rushed in the moment you couldn't be found flying around through the skies anymore. I wasn't an idiot, Clark. I knew very well who Lois was when I started to pursue her. In fact, it was because she was Lois Lane that I even pursued her at all. I hate to admit it but I was first attracted to all the exteriors of Lois. It wasn't until I really started dating her that I fell in love with who she really was. And through all five years of our relationship I knew that she could never fully love me. When you came back, yeah, I was hurt. I was jealous. But after I got my head out of all of that and opened my eyes, I saw the transformation in both Lois and Jason. It was like someone had dunked my head into a barrel full of water and I finally woke up. You're her missing puzzle piece, Clark. Now, get out of my office and get ready for the most important date of your life."

Clark looked as if he wanted to say more but he closed his mouth, stood to his full height, and nodded. Turning on his heel, he walked towards the door but then paused to turn around. "Richard?"

"Yeah, Clark?"

"Thank you."

No further words needed to be said between them. Richard smiled widely and Clark returned the gesture with one of his trademark goofy grins before going back to his desk. After informing Jason that he would be spending the evening with Richard, Clark turned off his computer, ruffled his son's hair, gathered his things, and left to go get ready for a night he truly hoped would be one to remember.

888

I had such a rough day. None of the sources I went chasing after had panned out not to mention my feet hurt from running all over the place in my heels. I shouldn't have worn stilettos today but I had really wanted to catch a certain superhero's eyes so I sacrificed comfort for a little bit of attention. Though Clark hadn't outright said anything about them when I'd walked into the office earlier in the day, I did notice his eyes follow my legs as I made my way towards my desk. That had been the one good thing to happen this whole day.

I sighed as I trudged up the stairs to my apartment, my desire solely to put my feet up, cuddle with Clark, and watch a movie. Richard had sent me a text saying he really wanted to spend the evening with Jason. Things being as they were, I was fully supportive of any time Richard wanted to spend with Jason; I wanted them to have as much time together as possible so both of them knew that Clark and I were more than fine with them continuing the relationship they'd always had.

I plopped down on my couch, closed my eyes, and let out a sigh. I needed a shower. Raking my hands through my hair, I stood up and made my way into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, I emerged in a pair of sweats and a hoodie. It felt good to walk around in my fuzzy socks, devoid of any heels. Grabbing my phone, I realized I had a message from Clark.

_Lois, I know this is late notice but seeing as it's a beautiful night, I was wondering if you'd like to spend it with me. I know you're in the shower right now – I didn't peek! I hear the water running – so I figured I'd give you an hour from the time you get this text to get ready. Let me know. _

I looked out the window. It wasn't snowing but there was a nice thick blanket of white all over my fire escape. I had a strange feeling that when Clark meant to spend the evening with him it wasn't to sit on the couch and watch a movie in my sweats. I was torn. I wanted to be with Clark but not if it involved going anywhere. But if he sent me this text that meant he had made plans and it wasn't a coincidence that Richard had asked to watch Jason on a school night. I grabbed my phone.

_Give me twenty minutes. _

The reply came instantly: _Take as much time as you need._

I smiled. I was sure Clark would wait until Armageddon if I needed that much time to get ready. I rushed into my room and looked through my closet. It was going to be a cold night tonight. Even if Clark took me flying and I was wrapped close to his amazing body heat it would be beneficial to dress warm. Rummaging through my sweaters, I found a rather pretty knitted turtle neck of the richest shade of red. Coupling it with dark denim jeans and a pair of knee high black boots – without a heel – I went into the bathroom and applied the usual amount of makeup with a dash of cherry red lipstick and a light spray of perfume. My hair was almost dry but it wouldn't do to walk out with it in that condition in the current weather.

It took five minutes to find my stupid hairdryer; it was buried in a box in my closet. Frantically plugging it in while checking the time, I turned the thing on and prayed that my hair would magically dry with the first few strokes. I'd already gone ten minutes past the twenty I'd originally told Clark I'd be ready. Stupid hair, I thought to myself. It was the one thing I curse over inheriting from my mother when in a crisis like this. The thickness was about two inches when I pulled it all back into a ponytail. Another five minutes later, my hair was done. Grabbing my black coat, keys, and phone, I rushed to the door.

There was a distinct knock as my hand touched the knob. Though slightly flustered, I had to smile. For all I knew, Clark had been waiting for this moment since I'd gotten home. He was the most patient man alive. I yanked the door open and sure enough there he stood in an outfit that took my breath away. He was wearing a formfitting bright blue button down shirt, black jacket, and black slacks. His new glasses were missing, his hair a mixed style of Superman and Clark, and his posture was relaxed but firm. His confident smile reached all the way up to his stunning blue eyes, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Hey," he said. His tone, to my surprise, was ranged in between Superman's deep timbre and Clark Kent's high pitch. It was a resonating baritone and it was more stirring to my heart than the usual familiar guises he used.

I searched his eyes as I breathed in the fresh smell of cornfields and spices. The more I stared, the bigger Clark's grin became. My observation concerning his appearance led me to one conclusion: this was the real Clark Kent. This was Kal-El. My heart did a little flip at the realization; the two blended forms of the man I loved were more attractive to me than either individual identity. I slipped my hand through his.

"Hi," I breathed, trying to stop from physically drooling all over myself.

Clark leaned in and kissed my cheek. "You look beautiful," he said, pulling away.

"Thanks," I stammered, my heart pounding a thousand miles a minute. "You look…"

"Different?" he offered.

"Yeah," I muttered.

His face faltered a fraction. "Do you…like it?"

"What? Of course I do! Why would I not?" – Clark relaxed – "It's just, this is the first time you've let me look at the real you. And let me assure you, I like what I see…Kal-El."

I felt him shiver as I said his name with a seductive caress in my voice. His voice sounded more like the usual Clark at the office as he stammered, "I thought we could go for a walk since it's…you know…a nice evening."

"Lead the way, Smallville," I said leaning in closer to him.

Clark regained his composure and took charge again, leading me gently down the stairs out into the crisp, chilled air. We walked in silence, enjoying each other's company, while admiring the frost clinging to the branches of leafless trees every few feet on the sidewalk. Street lamps and the night lights of the city were coming to life, bathing the world around us in an artificial but not unpleasant glow. Our shoes crunched down the snow, causing a strange rhythmic sound to mingle with the city music coming from cars, people, and electronic devices.

Clark guided me to Metropolis City Park, the same place he'd crashed after lifting New Krypton into the sky. There were plenty of people milling around despite it being past nine; children participated in snowball fights or building snowmen while parents chatted with cups of hot chocolate in their hands. A few couples could even be seen amidst the trees, deeply enjoying each other's company. Surely Clark didn't have a similar idea of publicly making out under a snow covered tree?

Just when I thought he was going to stop to mingle around the populated spot of the park, he turned down a small seemingly forgotten path between two sets of bushes. After looking around, he used his heat vision to melt the two feet of snow down to an inch like the current path we were on. I was surprised that his heat hadn't made the surface slippery or slushy to walk on but he might have breathed on it to cool it down since when we started walking across the snow it crunched just like the rest on the main path.

When the path opened up five minutes later, it revealed a heartwarming scene. A bonfire, already a blaze, was in the middle of an open clearing, a blanket resting on a large fallen tree, and a thermos located near the fire filled to the top with what I was sure was hot chocolate. Clark squeezed my hand, invited me to sit down on the natural bench, before joining me, wrapping the thick blanket around us. I almost forgot that I was outside because of the heat of the fire combined with Clark's heat trapped under the blanket. I cuddled close to him as he played with my fingers under the blanket with his right hand.

"I'm sorry I took you away from a comfortable evening," he muttered.

"This is way better than what I had in mind," I sighed happily.

Clark kissed my hair before busting out the hot chocolate. It slid down my throat and tickled my insides in a pleasant manner. It was some of the best hot chocolate I'd ever tasted.

"Not that I want an audience," I said after a while, "but where are the usual prying eyes?"

Clark smirked. "Oh, they're around. They're just keeping their distance."

I raised an eyebrow. "I wonder why…they're normally within sight and sound."

Clark shrugged. "I guess they just didn't want to interrupt a romantic evening. Intimate situations tend to make people uncomfortable."

"Except for the people directly involved," I said cheerfully, leaning up and planting a soft kiss on his chin.

He chuckled and squeezed me. "I suppose you're right on that one."

As we sat there and the night stretched on, we talked about so many things: the current stories Perry was making us do, the coming court trial for Lex Luthor in three months, and Jason. After half an hour, Clark got a faraway look on his face. I frowned. Why did our evening have to end like this? This always seemed to happen when I was thoroughly enjoying my time with him. Clark noticed my slight frown. Kissing my forehead, he stood up. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, okay?"

I smiled. "Okay."

He made sure that I was bundled up in the warmth of the blanket before disappearing in a blur of blue. I sighed and concentrated on the fire, my thoughts currently on Jason and if he was having a good time with Richard. I was just beginning to wonder if I should call to check on him when something brushed my face. I started as the culprit rested on my hand. Picking it up, I recognized the smooth texture…

"A rose petal?" I questioned aloud.

That's when I looked up to find what looked like millions of bright pink rose petals falling from the sky. They landed in the snow, in the trees, on the bushes, and near the fire. Standing up, the blanket slithering off my shoulders, I walked away from the fire to more deeply appreciate the breathtaking and extraordinary scene. I made it several paces away from the fire when I noticed Clark walking towards me. The pink rose petals continued to fall all around us as he closed the distance and all of a sudden, a conversation from long ago floated into my mind…

"_Do you like…pink?"_

"_I like pink very much, Lois."_

A petal grazed my nose and I blushed deeply, the memory fresh on my mind. Clark was now standing in front of me with the same smile he gave when he told me those words all those years ago.

"I'm sorry I had to step away for a moment," he said tenderly, taking my hand. "The area was a little too white for my liking."

I blushed even more deeply as he cupped my face and brushed his thumb lovingly across my cheek.

"Lois, I love you so much," he whispered, his blue eyes bearing into mine unblinkingly. "From the first moment I saw you, I was head over heels in love. Never before had a person affected me so deeply, so maddeningly, as you. I realized that the sun was no longer my source of life. It was you, Lois. It was you when I first saved you from that fall, it was you when I traveled alone for five years in space, and it has been you since I've returned. The odds may be against us but I need you in my life, Lois. You are the only rose that could ever bloom forever in my garden."

His words pierced me to the heart and my breathing hitched as he dropped down to one knee and opened a little black box to reveal a silver ring with a diamond in the center surrounded by two smaller pink stones.

"Lois Lane," he said, his voice a sweet caress, "I promise to be forever yours and yours alone. Will you marry me?"

888

Clark waited for what seemed like an eternity but could surely have only been a couple of seconds in reality as he watched the love of his life stare down at him in silence. She was exquisite, her beautiful dark curls flowing around her face, her hazel eyes sparkling in the distant street lights.

The pink petals had stopped falling now, their resting places scattered all around them mixing lovingly with the whiteness of the snow.

Clark never let his gaze falter as he waited for another second, taking the scene displayed before him. And then he heard Lois's heartbeat skyrocket as tears poured down her flushed cheeks. Her nose turned a bright pink as she displayed a smile that caused her eyes to shine brighter than the billions of stars above their heads.

"Yes," she breathed. "Yes!"

It took all of Clark's self control not to rocket into the sky from the elation that had exploded in his chest. Grinning from ear to ear, he took the ring out of its case.

888

Clark slid the silver metal onto my left ring finger slowly as if he were desirous to slow down time so as to enjoy this moment to the fullest. My eyes followed until the beautiful jewel came to a rest at the base of my finger. Clark stood and I leapt into his arms. He spun me around twice, laughing aloud in joy; I joined him. And then we were kissing – the need to exclaim our joy couldn't be expressed in words. I felt like I was going to slip into utter ecstasy as Clark pulled me close, his hands snaking into my hair and the small of my back. Mine were nested somewhere in his black locks, my fingers knitted in between the soft short tendrils. I had a sense that we weren't on the ground anymore and I opened my eyes just a split second between kisses to find my suspicions were correct. Clark was in so much jubilation that we were hovering three feet above the ground.

"Don't go too high, Smallville," I whispered against his lips.

Clark laughed before sealing my lips with his own, demanding that I refocus solely on him and not on the distance between us and the ground. As I allowed myself to sink into the passion of his lips that expressed the love he couldn't communicate in words, I felt like the luckiest woman in the universe. I was destined to be with this man and all the powers that be had weaved the fabrics of our fates so tightly that nothing could rip us apart. We weren't just joint puzzle pieces or two sides of the same coin; we were something much more. We were soul mates.

The longer he kissed me the more the words echoed through every chamber in my mind_: I love you, Kal-El. From now until the end of time, I am, and will always be, forever _yours _and _yours_ alone._

**A special thank you to everyone who has taken the time to encourage me with such positive reviews! Each of them brings a little more sunshine to my day and I'm truly grateful that you take the time to leave a comment. The proposal scene was inspired from the proposal presented in the television show Smallville so a big thank you to those who wrote that episode and made it come alive. **

**What did you think of Clark's proposal in this chapter? Leave a thought if you feel so inclined! You guys are awesome! :) **


	14. Gone

**AN: This chapter is smaller than some of the more recent ones I've uploaded but how it ends works with the transition into the next chapter. I promise the next one will be longer! Thank you all for taking the time to read, review, and love my story! I appreciate you time and I hope that I'm doing the job of an author in providing good entertainment! This chapter was hard to write just because of all the emotion going on in it - let me know if I expressed the characters emotions well! I'd love to know your thoughts! :) Next update will be in five days, per usual!**

14: Gone

I walked into the Daily Planet the next day in a daze. The ring shined little rainbows on the walls from the sun streaming through the windows. The little pink stones of either side brought back certain memories that left me blushing deep crimson. A smile crept up my cheeks but I tried my best not to show the true elation that was threatening to burst out of my chest. I felt like I was going to squeal like a little girl. I hadn't felt like this since…since the day Superman swooped into my life.

I packed into the elevator with the other employees who were rubbing sleep out of their eyes, sipping morning coffee, and burying their noses in the morning addition of the paper. My eyes wandered to the front page, an article I'd written about the mall incident complete with a picture of Superman standing over Hanz. As I looked into the face of the bounty hunter in the picture, a feeling of panic crept down my spine.

How in the world could Clark and I take time to start planning a wedding at a time like this? Every day we were susceptible to another bounty hunter visit. The Justice League was still tailing us everywhere we went. I hadn't seen them at all last night but Clark assured me that all of them were in the shadows somewhere, watching. As much as I appreciated their concern for Clark's safety, I couldn't help but feel annoyed that if things continued the way they'd been for months there was the possibility that Clark and I could never truly be alone.

And the thought of Clark's colleagues watching us kiss so intently last night caused a different kind of blush to creep over my face. If there was one thing I was uncomfortable with, it was people seeing me vulnerable. I was Lois Lane. I had a reputation to uphold. As far as I was concerned, the only person who should see such sides of me was Clark and it was only in his presence that my walls truly came down.

I was just about to make it to my desk when Perry's voice interrupted my thoughts. "LANE! Get in here!"

I rolled my eyes, set down my purse and looked at Clark's desk. He still hadn't come in yet. _I wonder where he is_, I mused as I wandered into Perry's office. Perry watched me walk in and his eyes narrowed.

"What?" I asked, my thoughts still distracted by Clark.

"Close the door, Lois," Perry ordered, his voice not as demanding as it had been a moment ago.

I raised an eyebrow but did as I was told before sitting down across from him. "What's up, Perry?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

Perry observed me for a moment longer, leaning against his desk, threading his fingers together. "Lois, I want to know what's really going on with the visitors from space. What are they _really_ doing here? I know you know more than what you've been reporting. What are you hiding?"

My eyes shifted. I loved Perry like a father and I'd confided much to him but this wasn't something I felt I should share. "I don't know the reason, Chief," I muttered, staring at a burned spot on his desk. If I remembered right, it was from a time Clark accidentally spilled coffee over the table and Perry's cigar contacted with the wood in a failed attempt to catch the cup from causing too much damage to the papers on his desk. That had been before Clark had left. I smiled fondly at the memory.

"Lois?"

I shook myself from my thoughts, finally realizing that I'd let my guard down again. Perry was staring at me with a curious expression; triumph? Satisfaction? Maybe a little of both.

Perry stood up. "Lois, I want to show you something."

"Okay…?"

Perry closed the blinds to his office and went over to a set of drawers with locks all over them. Many people joked that the drawers were where Perry kept his secret stash of cigars. My curiosity was piqued as Perry revealed a chain hidden under his shirt from around his neck. A key dangled on the end. Opening the drawer, Perry stepped away, offering me full access to look inside.

I wasn't sure what to expect; cigars? Money? Top secret information that could be used to expose people? I was incredibly surprised to look inside and notice the drawer was filled with button up shirts; the buttons were missing from all of them. Perry closed the drawer and opened the next. It contained a large collection of ties. The next had pants while the last bottom drawer had several pairs of socks and shoes. Without a word, Perry closed the drawers, locked them, replaced the key, walked back to his desk, and sat down.

I stood rooted to the ground, my back to him, my eyes focused solely on the drawers filled with clothes. A sense of dread washed over me. My heart had leapt into my throat. The contents all belonged to Clark; the second the drawers opened I'd smelled the scents that were unique to him.

"I've had those for a while," Perry said, breaking the silence, "For about seven years actually. The janitors would find them all over the place, sometimes on top of the elevators, on the roof, in the storage closet, and even in the air vents. Five years ago, the clothes stopped showing up until a few months ago."

I composed my face into a mask and turned around with a smirk. "What are you saying, Perry? We have a stripper in the office or something?"

Perry's frown lifted slightly in an amused smirk. "Cut the act, Lane. I may be old but I didn't reach the position of Editor in Chief of one of the greatest newspapers in the world out of nomination. I was the best journalist of my time. I figured it out a long time ago. I know who he is and I know you do too. And it's about time you both finally moved on. I can't tell you how frustrating it was to watch Kent from the side, seeing how much he loved you, but afraid to take the chance of being with you. I can understand his hesitation but from that rock on your finger I take it he's finally given in to reality. Finally I can stop worrying about that boy. Congratulations, by the way."

My mouth fell open. "W-What are you talking about, Perry?" I asked, completely shocked.

Perry's smirk grew more as his eyes twinkled. "I'm talking about Clark Kent, Lois. He proposed to you last night, right?"

I looked down at the ring on my finger. "Yes, he did."

"Good man," Perry said, nodding. "And you said yes."

"Yes…I did."

"When's the wedding?"

"We haven't planned anything yet because of the bounty hunters that are…" I cut myself off. Perry was looking triumphant. My mouth dropped open. "You sly – you – you –!"

Perry let out a laugh of victory. "I knew it. Those aliens are after him, huh? And you don't want the world to know?"

I tried to pick my surprise up off the ground. "Perry…how long have you known?!"

"About Clark or about the bounty hunters?"

I felt like a rug was being pulled out from under me. "Both?" I said, dazed.

"Like I said, I've known about Clark since he left. The sudden disappearance of abandoned clothes tied in all the other strange things I'd noticed but couldn't quite piece together about him while he was still around. After he left, the clues came together; the sudden disappearances, the lame excuses, the amazing articles he wrote, how fast he could type, the love he openly displayed for you in the office, among other things. It all came together like rain falling from the sky and collecting into a puddle. His disguise is perfect. Nobody would suspect mild mannered Clark Kent as the greatest hero the world has ever known. Concerning the bounty hunters, you don't think I noticed that they all seem to target Superman specifically? It helped that I overheard Clark complaining on the phone the other day about them not coming after him when he wanted to have a bounty hunter free evening. I was up on the roof smoking a cigar when he made the call. I guess he was so distracted he didn't notice me. I'll have to have a talk with him about being more careful. We don't want the others to find out Superman is one of their coworkers."

My legs gave out and I sat in a chair. Perry White knew. He knew everything. "Perry…"

"Lois?" he asked, his expression relaxed, even tranquil.

I shook my head. "I don't understand. You knew who Clark was when he came back."

"Yes."

"You gave him back his job."

"Yes."

"You knew he still loved me even though I was with your nephew."

"Yes."

"And you knew I still loved him."

"Yes."

"And you knew Jason was his son all along, even before I told you?"

Perry smiled widely. "Yes, Lois, I did."

I looked at him in utter disbelief and frustration. "Why did you keep all of this to yourself?! You've been sitting on the biggest story for five years and you didn't ever print it? Why?"

Perry seemed baffled. "Lois, why would I expose Clark's secret?"

I paused, my mouth open. "I…I don't know…because you're a journalist?"

Perry looked disappointed in me. "So are you, Lois."

"I love him," I said.

"And you think I don't care for him?" That took me by surprise. Perry rolled his eyes. "Lois, you and Kent are like the kids I never had. The perfect son and daughter, sniffing out all the good stories, bringing down criminals, and saving the day. I love both of you like a father would his kids. Haven't you noticed that I spoil you? I yell at you two more than anyone else, I give you all the best stories, and I specifically reserve Jimmy, my best photographer, for your articles."

"You…have a weird way of showing love, old man," I whispered but there was tenderness in my tone. I was touched.

Perry shrugged. "I'm not the softie type, Lane."

"I doubt that," I countered. "I've seen the marshmallow you really are under that crusty exterior."

"Well don't get used to seeing it, Lane," Perry snapped, his walls building up again. I grinned. He grinned back but then he became somber. "So, why is Clark being hunted?"

I sighed. The walls were already down. It wouldn't hurt to tell Perry what was really going on. "An alien called the Preserver collects creatures that are the last of their kind and, though we don't know how, he found out about Clark."

Perry's bushy eyebrows drew together. "So he wants to add Clark to his collection?"

I nodded.

"No wonder both of you have been stressed lately," he muttered.

I nodded again. "One of the groups almost succeeded too." My fears began to surface and suddenly I was spilling everything into Perry's lap. "Everyone knows that Clark's weakness is kryptonite except for the bounty hunters. However, what nobody really knows is that Clark has another weakness."

"What? He does?"

"Though Clark can put up a good fight against it, he's vulnerable to magic," I revealed. "If he's constantly exposed, he'll lose. He can fall under spells and when that happens…well, things can get unpredictable."

Perry was silent for a moment. "Don't ever put that into print, Lois," he said after a while. "I honestly think one of our biggest mistakes was reporting to the world that he couldn't see through lead and was weakened by kryptonite. With more extraordinary folk popping out of the woodwork, the less people know about his relationship with magic the better."

Touched by his concern for Clark, I smiled. "If it ever does come to light, it won't be because of me, Perry."

"And it won't be from this newspaper either," Perry said loyally. "Since his debut, Superman has been tied to the Daily Planet. He's always come to us for exclusives and, though nobody knows it, he even works for us. And if there is one thing this paper prides itself in, it's securing Superman and our employees safeties. Do they know who Clark is?"

"I don't really know," I said honestly. "The first one to show up seemed to know who he was because she attacked us when we were in Smallville. But the others have all just shown up and wreaked havoc around the world as if to get Superman's attention. The wanted posters don't have any information saying he's Clark Kent. I wonder how that first one knew where to find him…" Things didn't add up. I smelt a rat. Making a mental note to talk to Green Lantern about it later, I turned back to Perry. "Can we please refrain from writing about them being after him? The less the public knows the better."

Perry nodded though he didn't look too happy about it. "I don't like it but people will panic less than they already are. The last thing we need is for everyone to believe that we're going to lose Superman again. Can you imagine what the criminals of Earth would do if they got hold of that information? They'd do everything in their power to help the bounty hunters in their cause. And if Superman were gone again, mass chaos would break out."

"Just like it did last time," I muttered, remembering how the world turned into a chaotic mess when Clark was no longer around to protect the innocent and the peace. "We can't afford to let that happen."

"We won't," Perry assured me.

I smiled. "Thank you, Perry."

"Don't mention it, Lane. Now, you've wasted enough time talking to me instead of hitting the pavement to chase down stories. Get out of here and get to work." I stood up and made it to the door when Perry stopped me. "Lois?"

I turned. "Yes?"

His eyes softened. "Congratulations."

I looked down at the ring on my finger, blushed, and hurried out of the room.

888

Superman had just finished cleaning up the mess of a robbery he'd prevented in downtown Metropolis when something flew out of the sky, walloping him in the side of the head. Disoriented, he soared into the side of a building, his body encasing in pure concrete from the sudden attack. Shaking his head, Superman opened his eyes to find yet another bounty hunter looming over him. This one was different from the others; he actually looked like he'd been in the business for a long time.

He was large, his build like that of a warrior. He wore black leather with silver accents, the sleeves of his shirt having been ripped off to expose his muscles. His skin was tinged blue, his eyes a fiery red, and he had a mane full of unruly black hair that stuck out at odd angles and hung below his shoulders. A set of pearly white fangs were visible as he smiled, looking upon his prey. A large chain with a hook dangled from one of his hands – the object that had clearly knocked Superman into the wall he currently found himself in.

"I've been promised a good amount of cash for bringing you in, Kryptonian," he said in a gruff voice while adjusting himself on his floating motorcycle. "I gotta say I'm shocked that someone like you decided to dwell on a scrapheap like this."

Superman pushed himself out of the wall. "This place is my home."

The alien looked around and scowled. "Yeah, it's a nice joint for a dump."

Superman returned the scowl with one of his own. "I don't have time to listen to your insults. Leave Earth or I'll make you."

"Wow, you sure are hospitable," the bounty hunter said, leaning back on his bike as if he had no intention of going anywhere. "The name's Lobo. I'm the best of the best, Kryptonian, and I made a promise to bring you in. If there's one thing I'm known for, it's keeping my promises so I'll gladly leave this dunghill but you're coming with me."

"Not an option," Superman said, folding his arms.

Lobo grinned, bearing his fangs. "Have it your way."

Taken by surprise, Superman was suddenly hit by a rocket that had extricated itself from Lobo's bike. The moment the missile made contact it exploded, sending Superman careening through the sky into yet another building. Thoroughly ticked off, Superman shot through the building, heading straight for the bounty hunter. Lobo prepared for the attack by actually leaping from his bike, pulling back his fist and colliding it with Superman's jaw at the same time Superman's collided with his. There was a thunderous crack and both aliens rocketed through the air, smashing into the concrete below.

Citizens screamed and ran as Lobo fired a series of missiles at Superman, the projectiles erupting cars, blowing up streets, and smashing windows. Superman looked up to find Green Lantern swooping in, a green force field shielding pedestrians from Lobo's blasts. Superman didn't have time to survey much else because at that moment Lobo's hook latched onto his boots, yanking him from his feet.

Superman lifted himself from the ground and flew towards Lobo. Forcing the chain from Lobo's grip, he pulled back his fist and lodged it into Lobo's stomach. Spittle flew from the bounty hunter's mouth and he took several paces backward. In a burst of speed, Superman took Lobo's own chain and tied him with if from head to foot before using the hook to string Lobo upside down from a lamppost.

The bounty hunter struggled for a few moments and Superman thought it was over but then the chain burst, sending metal flying in all directions. In a cry of rage, Lobo flung himself at Superman, punching him repeatedly in the stomach and face. Superman returned the blows. Their fight soon extended beyond fists; cars went soaring through the air, lampposts impaled the sidewalks, and even a fire hydrant nearly took down a streetlight.

"Superman, that lunatic is going to get people killed," Green Lantern shouted as he diverted a taxi from flying into a convenient store's window.

"Who're you calling a lunatic?" Lobo growled as he pulled a crowbar from his bike and flung it at Superman. The metal smacked into the Man of Steel's chest before clanging to the ground.

Superman raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"

Lobo shrugged. "It sometimes works."

Superman picked up the crowbar, spun it in his fingers a couple of times and looked at Lobo. "Yeah, I suppose it does," he said before flinging it at the bounty hunter.

Lobo leapt to the side and the crowbar embedded itself into his motorcycle. He let out a cry of rage. "Look what you did to my hog!"

Looking around and finding a street sign, he picked it up and rushed at Superman, using the acquired weapon like a lance. Superman grabbed it when it was in range and spun on his heel, sending Lobo into the air. He disappeared into the clouds.

Green Lantern lifted a large piece of fallen debris off a school bus; thankfully it had been empty at the time of the attack. After checking the area and finding that everyone was safe, Superman sighed. "The others won't be coming, I gather?"

Green Lantern shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I tried contacting them while you and that hunter were tossing cars but each one of them is dealing with threats in their own city – even Bats, whose criminals usually like to play in the dark."

Before Superman could respond, a missile whizzed through the air. Both heroes were blown off their feet, Superman smashing into a car, Green Lantern disappearing into the school bus he'd just revealed. The sudden explosion disoriented the Man of Steel. Before he could get back up on his feet, a sickly nauseous feeling erupted in the pit of his stomach. His breathing became shallow and sweat beaded at his forehead.

"This stuff really does make you sick, huh? I thought that bald guy was joking."

Superman managed to open his eyes just enough to see Lobo standing over him with a curious smirk on his face. Before Superman could lift a finger, Lobo grabbed his wrists and snapped a pair of handcuffs over them. To Superman's horror, they were made of Kryptonite. The second the radioactive cuffs connected with his skin, a rash broke out. Lobo didn't wait to collect his prize. Grabbing Superman's ankles, he dragged him over to his bike. Superman tried to struggle as Lobo made to throw him over the seat.

"Will you stop squirming?" Lobo grunted after the third failed attempt to load the Man of Steel.

Superman felt his strength ebbing away but he had to keep fighting. He'd made a promise that he would never leave Lois again. He couldn't allow Lobo to take him away. She needed him… Jason needed him. He wouldn't allow Lobo to succeed; he couldn't afford to abandon his family again. "Please," he muttered, his voice sounding distant in his ears, "don't do this."

"Sorry, bud," Lobo said without pity, standing over him. "I'm just doing my job."

As Lobo brought his fist into Superman's frame of vision and an image of Lois erupted into his mind. It was the image of her on the rooftop of the Daily Planet shortly after his return. Her expression was of anger, her eyes fresh with tears, and her words stinging from the abandonment she'd suffered from his unexplained departure. It was an image that had haunted Superman in his deepest nightmares and now it appeared as if fate were telling him it was going to come to pass again. Lobo's fist connected with his face and he blacked out, muttering one word as his consciousness escaped him:

"_Lois."_

_888_

I was up on the roof. Clark hadn't come in to work all morning and it was getting past lunch time. The only thing I'd seen him cleaning up on the news was a bank robbery but that had taken place over an hour ago. Maybe he had to make a run to the other side of the world? I was just about to call out his name when Green Lantern swooped from the sky.

"Hal!" I cried in panic for the hero was slumped slightly to the side, his hand clutching his rib cage.

"Lois," he muttered, "they got him." And then he fainted, having lost too much blood to stay conscious.

My breathing hitched, my whole world spun, and my heart shattered as Hal's words echoed repeatedly in my mind: _They got him._

_888_

When Clark opened his eyes, he thought he was dreaming. A gleaming red orb was attached to the ceiling far above him, the small ball of energy swirling around as if it were alive. Clark's eyes slid to the left and then to the right. He was in a room that was rather simple; a few strange collectibles sat on top of a dresser and a table, their crystal makeup unmistakable but also fairly unbelievable. It was crystal akin to what the Fortress was made out of. It wasn't until Clark sat up that he noticed what he was wearing.

He was dressed in black from his boots to the large floor-length cloak on his broad shoulders. The only defining feature in the outfit was the Kryptonian symbol of the house of El in stunning white resting over his chest. It wasn't until Clark was on his feet that he noticed he had an audience. A strange creature, shaped like a rounded pale orange triangle with gangly arms, stared at him with large aquamarine eyes. He had a pleased smile on his pallid face.

"It's good to see you awake, Kryptonian," he said in a surprisingly smooth tenor voice.

Clark folded his arms. "Let me guess, the Preserver."

"The same," the creature said, stretching his arms wide and bowing slightly. "I must say that I am quite pleased the Czarnian brought you to me in one piece. I would have been highly disappointed if you had been damaged in anyway."

Clark scowled. "I am _not_ something you can _collect_, Preserver."

"On the contrary, Kryptonian," the Preserver said, leaning backward, "you fit right in with my ambition. I fear you might misunderstand the purpose of my collection. You see, I don't mindlessly run around and gather up creatures that suit my fancy. No, I have a greater purpose than that! I seek out and save the remains of dying species. I do everything I can to give them a happy and contented life, providing them with the perfect environment to feel right at home."

Clark gestured to his holding cell and snapped, "This isn't going to give me a happy and contented life! This is a prison."

"You feel that way now but once you settle in, you'll realize that I'm right," the Preserver muttered. "I must say, I don't usually collect creatures of your intelligence but Kryptonians were some of the most revered species in the universe. It was quite the pity when the race was destroyed by its planet's unstable core. You are the lone survivor of that great race, Kal-El, and I will be sure to keep you here where that great civilization can be preserved in honorable memory."

Clark slammed his fist against the glass separating him from the Preserver and flinched. Rubbing his hand, he looked up at the red orb. "A red sun," he muttered, comprehension dawning.

"Very good, Kal-El," the Preserver said. "I replicate the environment to be the exact habitat each creature lived in. Though you came from Earth, it is not your home. Krypton was surrounded by a red sun so a red sun was installed."

Clark scowled. "How do you know my name?" The Preserver didn't reply. Instead he turned away, floating down the hall towards another cell containing some unknown creature Clark couldn't see. Clark pounded on the glass. "You can't keep me here, Preserver! My friends will find me!"

"Not very likely," the Preserver's voice replied, echoing down the hallway through the glass.

Clark wasn't sure how the voice could penetrate into the cell but it left a shiver running down his spine. It made him feel powerless, like the Preserver held all the strings and he was the puppet. Clark looked around and felt a sense of disdain. Though the place was replicated to look like Krypton, it wasn't home at all.

Sitting down on the couch he'd woken on, Clark put his head in his hands. How had Lobo found out about kryptonite? He'd said something about a bald man. The only bald man who had a knowledge of kryptonite that Clark knew of was Lex Luthor but he was in prison. There was no way he could be affiliated with intergalactic bounty hunters. So, since Lex Luthor was ruled out, who could it be? Clark's head spun as he racked his brains but nothing matched up.

Sighing, he leaned back, his eyes covered by his arm. His thoughts drifted to Lois. He finally had the guts to propose to her and then this had to happen. He had no idea where he was. Was he even in the same galaxy as Earth? Without his powers, he couldn't hear Lois's heartbeat and it terrified him to no end. Sure there came a point while traveling through space where he couldn't hear her any longer but he'd been in his own ship then, charting his own course. Here, he was subject to the will of a madman bent under the illusion that he was preserving Krypton's glory by keeping him locked in a cell.

Frustrated, Clark turned his face towards the wall, trying to remain calm as he thought of Lois and Jason. _Please,_ he begged silently,_ please somehow allow me to get back to them. I can't abandon them again._

_888_

The Justice League arrived shortly after a distress call was sent through mind link from Martian Manhunter; Green Lantern had reached out to him, briefing the situation just before blacking out. J'onn had found both of us on the roof twenty minutes later; Hal unconscious with me applying pressure to the wound in his rib cage. Without a word J'onn took off with Hal in his arms, rushing to the hospital. The others found me standing with Hal's blood on my hands, my eyes off in the distance, my expression blank.

Truth be told, I felt broken. It was just like before… except this time I didn't have two weeks to wonder where he was. This time I knew he was gone. I started to go numb, my thoughts drawing into themselves like a recluse as every nightmare became cruel reality. My mind was in such chaos that I didn't even react when Batman suddenly came into my line of vision. I looked blankly into his eyes.

"Lois, are you alright?" he asked, his gruff voice gone, replaced by the usual tone of Bruce Wayne.

"I'm fine," I heard myself reply though I was anything _but_. Yet I couldn't show weakness. I was Lois Mad Dog Lane. I couldn't afford to look weak, especially in front of the Justice League. They were the greatest heroes of Earth, _his_ colleagues. It would embarrass him if I showed how I was really feeling. I had to keep my resolve from crumbling for his sake. I couldn't allow myself to be broken… not again…not like last time… last time, he left me alone… _No!_ _Don't break! I can't afford to break…_

The sob escaped my throat against my stubborn will. I shattered right in front of Batman and I did the most unexpected thing; I latched onto him and cried into his shoulder, my whole body maddeningly shaking. I hated feeling weak. I hated being powerless. My spirit was crumbling and it felt as if someone were ripping me apart from the inside.

When Clark had left five years ago, I hadn't felt like this. This was ten times worse. Perhaps it was because this time I had all my memories with both of them, Clark and Superman. This time I knew that both men were really one in the same. I never told anyone before about the small crush I'd had on Clark during my infatuation with Superman. Nobody, not even Clark, knew that I looked forward to every false postcard sent in the mail during that five year absence. In a way, those post cards were like a physical display of my hope that I at least hadn't lost my best friend; that he was simply out there traveling the world and would one day come back. But, this time, there wouldn't be any random post cards. Clark was gone. My body shook violently against Batman's frozen form, my sobs becoming uncontrollable against my resolve.

"He's gone," I sobbed quietly in Batman's ear. "I can't…I can't live without him, Bruce. Not again…I can't do this again. I can't…"

Batman remained frozen in place for a few more seconds before surprising his colleagues by wrapping me into his embrace, allowing me to cry into his shoulder without a word. I could feel the others eyes on me and I imagined them being filled with pity. It made this whole display even more humiliating.

"We're going to get him back, Lois."

My lip trembled as I took an uneven breath. Humiliated, I nodded, stepping away from Batman. I couldn't look him in the eye. I was probably a terrible mess. He surprised me by taking my hand and squeezing it gently. The act alone lifted my gaze. It was then that I noticed the other members of the League were around us and their expressions were not filled with the pity I had expected. They were filled with anger and determination.

"We're not going to let that madman take him away when we just got him back," Green Arrow assured his voice steady. "You can bet we're going to do everything we can to bring him home, Lois."

I swallowed the annoying sob that tried to leap out of my throat and nodded.

Batman squeezed my hand again. "We're going to have to wait until Green Lantern is fully recovered. He's the ticket we need to find him. I know it's going to be hard, Lois, but you're one of the most vigil people I know at keeping a secret. Clark needs an alibi so people won't wonder why he's missing. Superman we can't speak for although the presence of other heroes helps in keeping people from wondering where he could have run off to again."

"Perry and I will come up with a cover for Clark," I said, my voice surprisingly steady.

Batman's eyes rose. "He knows?"

I managed a small smirk. "Yeah, he told me this morning." The other League members appeared uneasy from this revelation. "Don't worry," I assured, "he figured it out shortly after Clark left five years ago. He's kept the secret this long, I have no doubts he'll be able to handle this."

Aquaman and Wonder Woman remained skeptical but Batman put his hand on my shoulder. "I trust you, Lois. If anyone knows who Clark can trust, it's you."

"I'll take care of it," I said, forcing that weakness they'd all seen back into a drawer in the far corner of my mind. It wasn't going to help being an emotional wreck. I needed to keep focused.

"Alright, let's go," Batman said, turning to the others.

"Bruce," I said, stopping him, "when you find out where he is I'm coming with you."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Flash began to protest but Batman held up a hand.

"Do you honestly think you can stop Lois Lane when she's decided to do something?" he asked the Speedster.

Flash scowled and looked me over. "No," he said after a moment.

Batman didn't look my way as he joined the others. "Let's go."

They climbed into the invisible jet belonging to Wonder Woman and disappeared from my view. The only reason I knew they were gone was because of the faint hint of a sonic boom somewhere over my head. It made me think of someone else and the stern resolve I'd managed to rebuild in front of the League crumbled again. A fresh wave of tears crawled down my face and I slid down with my back against the wall, my head resting in my arms.

Richard found me there. I'd been in the same position for three hours. Perry had become worried when I hadn't returned from the roof an hour after I'd told him I was in need of a little fresh air. His original thought was that Clark and I were making out on the Planet's roof but when Richard brought me down, Perry's smirk changed to immediate alarm. It was a good thing it was just after five when most people had already gone home for the day. Richard had picked up Jason from school when they called to see who was coming to get him. I was grateful that he was busy in Richard's office doing his homework when Richard carried me out of the elevator. The last thing I needed was for Jason to see me like this.

Richard shut the door to Perry's office, setting me down in a chair.

"What happened?" Perry demanded the second we were alone.

"I have no idea," Richard said. "I found her up on the roof like this."

Perry studied me intently. I didn't feel like doing anything. I wasn't in the mood to explain. I felt like a broken pipe; my tears were constantly running down my face. That was probably due to the fact I couldn't take my eyes away from the ring on my left hand.

"Lois…? Lois!" I blinked and looked up at Perry in a daze. My expression appeared to alarm him. "It's Clark, isn't it?" he asked.

My lip trembled and the tears intensified. I drew into myself, hugging my knees, my body once more shaking violently. I vaguely heard the two men talking over me though I could hardly comprehend their words.

"Perry, what's Clark got to do with all of this?" Richard demanded.

"Richard, I know the secret," Perry said.

"_You know?!"_

"Yes."

"But…_how?_"

"That's not important right now," Perry snapped. "I know Lois is in this state because of him."

"He didn't leave again, did he?" Richard asked, his tone mixed with anger and disbelief.

Perry shook his head. "No. I think he's been abducted, Richard. It's the only explanation for how you found Lois on the roof. When Superman left the first time, she went through a period of time where she was similar to this."

"Similar?"

"This is worse than last time," Perry muttered, his voice filled with worry. "Last time she just walked around in a daze without eating anything. She never…_cried_ like this."

"Who would take Clark?" Richard wondered. "Lex Luthor?"

"No," Perry sighed. "The culprit is more than likely out of this world." And then Perry filled Richard in on what Clark and I had been trying to keep a secret.

After a long silence, Richard asked, "Does Jason know?"

I swallowed. My tears had finally run dry. I unfolded myself from the chair and stood up, gaining the two men's full attention in the process. "No, he doesn't," I said shakily. "And we need to keep it that way. Clark and I haven't told him what's really going on. He's only five, Richard. We've already dumped enough emotional damage into his lap. He doesn't need to be burdened further with his father being collected by bounty hunters."

"Then what are we supposed to tell him?" Richard asked, not to argue but merely to find an explanation.

"That's what we need to come up with," I said before blowing my nose and drying my cheeks. Throwing the tissue away, I took a steady breath and forced myself to think of Clark. It hurt at first but I pushed through the pain. I needed to think of how he would handle this situation. What would he tell Jason?

"We need an alibi," I said, looking at Perry. "It's got to be one that is believable so that other people won't wonder where my fiancé ran off to the day after he proposed to me." Another wave of pain threatened to reopen my tear ducts but I plowed forward. "Do you have any suggestions, Chief?"

Perry looked at Richard. "You were scheduled to leave for London tomorrow, weren't you?"

"Yeah, to meet with our sister location and check up on things," Richard said.

Perry nodded, rubbing his chin. "I'm going to assign Clark to go with you."

"What? Perry that would never work! Clark's city beat, not international," Richard argued. "People would never believe it."

"Oh but I'm afraid they would," Perry said with a grin. "I need my new Assistant Editor to train with the old one."

My jaw dropped. "Wow, hang on a second, Chief. Did you just say assistant editor?" I looked at Richard who was looking away from me a little embarrassed.

"Our London branch is in need of a new editor, Lois and Richard has been promoted to fill the position," Perry revealed. "He's heading to London tomorrow to scope things out before moving there next month. With Richard leaving, the position at the Daily Planet opened. Knowing Clark's secret, I know that he would do well with the job. It wouldn't require him to do much field work, he'd get better pay, and he could leave the office for longer stretches of time claiming to be out on business instead of making up stupid excuses that nobody really believes."

My head spun. Clark had been promoted. "Chief, Clark's only been back for seven months. There are tons of people who'll be up in the air over this decision."

Perry smirked. "Well, it's not a secret anymore, Lane."

"What?"

Richard smirked too. "Perry made the announcement just after lunch time. Surprisingly, many people were thrilled. Though he's only been back for seven months, people are satisfied with Clark. He's one of the few completely trustworthy individuals in the work force so he'll be more than honest with the employees and give everyone a fair share of his time. He also has impressed everyone with the articles he's come up with and his journalistic qualities are off the charts. Several people actually rejoiced aloud when the news was broken."

My mouth opened and closed like a fish. "Clark's…been promoted…"

Perry laughed and it was a much needed sound; it was like a little slice of relief from the heavy atmosphere we'd all been drowning in. "You're going to have to get used to him as your boss, Lois."

A spark of fire erupted from the ashes of my spirit like a phoenix being reborn. "I am not going to let him take advantage of that," I snapped. Perry's grin widened into a full out smile as he witnessed Mad Dog Lane resurface. "I had a fiancé as Assistant Editor before and that didn't hinder me in getting what I want."

Richard chuckled. "She has a point, Perry, and this is Clark we're talking about. He'll cave under Lois without even lifting a finger to fight against her."

Perry grinned wickedly. "I know which is why any article that Lois wants to publish will only be decided by me."

"That's not fair!" I began to argue but Perry held up a hand.

"Lois, now is not the time to be discussing this. We'll figure out the technicalities after everything's gone back to normal. For now, we need to lay all our cards on the table so that we have everything figured out should anyone try to pry their nose into our business."

After half an hour the story had been formulated and seeing that it was fabricated by three top notch journalists it was pretty believable. Clark was supposedly going to be with Richard in London on a business trip to learn the ropes of his new position on a last minute decision from Perry. Perry wouldn't have known that Clark had proposed to me the night before so if people asked about the ring I was to act angry towards Perry and blame him for taking my fiancé away without giving us a change to receive congratulations.

Jason was going to think that Clark was with Richard and that Superman was too busy with the League to come and visit. His curiosity could only last a week at the most, the same as my resolve. I was determined to keep him in the dark over all of this even if that meant having to lie to him about where his father really was. The last of the plan was to make a scene in which I stormed out of Perry's office in a rage at him for forcing me to take my vacation time. This way I could take Jason to Smallville where his curiosity could be curbed by his grandmother and I could work with the League on bringing Clark home.

This plan was only going to work if I could keep my emotions in check. Perry and Richard were worried but they didn't need to be. My sorrow had been swallowed up in the fire of rage burning within my breast. My anger had fueled me before when Clark had left but this time the rage wasn't directed at him; it was focused solely on the Preserver and it was going to be a sad day for him when our paths crossed. He'd taken Clark away from me and I was going to beat the crap out of him for it. Clark had already been absent from my life once and I was not going to let it happen again. I was resolute with my decision; if anyone, no matter alien or human, threatened Clark, I'd personally see to it that they'd regret it for the rest of their life no matter what consequence followed.

The only snag in our plan was to get Richard out of the Daily Planet without Jason seeing him. If Clark was meant to go with Richard, Jason would question why Clark hadn't said goodbye while Richard had. The answer to the dilemma came in the form of J'onn, who arrived to give me an update on Green Lantern's status. His transparent form slid through the glass of Perry's office before solidifying in the middle of the room. Perry and Richard were shocked at first to see the Manhunter so close but they mellowed out as J'onn told me the situation.

"He suffered more from blood loss than a deep wound," J'onn revealed. "He has an inch deep cut that runs from the middle of his chest to his side. He should be stabilized in two days."

I felt a small rush of relief. "At least there's some good news. Will he really be out in two days, J'onn?"

The Manhunter nodded. "Yes. With Batman's technology he will be. We transported him from the hospital an hour ago." He looked me up and down. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I said with a small smile. "We've got a plan to cover for Clark."

I quickly went over the basics and when I asked if he could transport Richard out of the Daily Planet he assured that it wouldn't be a problem. "Just relax," J'onn advised as he took Richard by the arms.

The two of them became transparent and slipped through the window before changing back into their solid forms. Richard looked a little pale as they stood in midair with the street hundreds of feet below them.

"That was weird," Richard muttered after Perry opened the window.

"J'onn, please fill in the rest of the League with what's going on," I said. "I'm going to take Jason and head home. I'll call Clark's mother to let her know what's happened."

J'onn nodded.

"Have a safe trip to London, Richard," I said.

He smiled. "I'm sure that everything's going to work out, Lois. Just keep me posted on what's going on."

"I will," I promised.

The Manhunter descended with Richard in his arms towards the parking garage underground. As they drew closer to the ground, J'onn made them become transparent again so as not to draw attention while they slipped through the concrete.

Perry shut the window and enveloped me in a hug. "Everything's going to be fine," he soothed.

I smiled sadly. "It will be," I whispered. "I hope you're ready to make a scene tomorrow, old man."

"It will be like any other day," Perry chuckled.


	15. Taking Action

15 Taking Action

"Why didn't Richard or Daddy say goodbye?" Jason asked, clearly upset.

I sighed and squeezed his hand. "Uncle Perry wouldn't even let them say goodbye to me, kiddo."

Jason frowned. "Daddy was going to fill me in on how he asked you to marry him."

I stopped mid-stride. "You knew?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

Jason looked up at me and grinned. "He took me to the ring place to help him pick it out. Do you like it Mommy? I picked out the ring but Daddy added the pink stones to it."

I temporarily forgot that we were in the middle of the Metropolis airport. I looked down at my ring and a fresh wave of emotion caused my vision to blur. Both my boys had picked out my ring. I looked down at Jason, got a hold of my emotions, and swooped down to give him a hug. "Oh, Jason, I love it. Thank you very much."

Jason grinned. His smile, his eyes, and even his facial structure looked so much like Clark it hurt. The only way to curb my heartache was to bathe myself in righteous fury towards the Preserver. Kissing Jason's forehead, I stood up. "Come on, munchkin, we've got a plane to catch."

My thoughts drifted to earlier in the morning when I'd walked into the Daily Planet pretending as if it was any other work day. Perry called me in right after I sat down. I left the door open and the shouting match ensued, accomplishing exactly what we wanted: everyone's attention.

"_How was I supposed to know you two just got engaged?" Perry shouted at me._

"_Didn't Clark say anything?" I demanded. "Of course he didn't. You probably didn't even let him say a word. He has a _voice,_ Perry! Let the man talk once in a while!"_

"_I do let him talk which is why I promoted him!" Perry snapped back._

"_Well you didn't have to send him on a trip across the world for the purpose of training!" I shouted angrily. "Richard could have trained him just fine after he'd returned from his trip!"_

"_If you're so concerned about Richard and Clark being on the same plane together, take vacation time early and get the heck out of my office, Lane!"_

_We looked at each other loathingly but with a twinkle in our eyes. "Fine," I snapped. "I'm leaving for a week, Perry. No, make it _two _weeks!"_

"_Fine," Perry retorted. "But you'd better have a hill of stories for me when you get back, Lane, or I'm throwing you down into the mailroom!"_

_I snorted, "Like you could afford that!" before turning on my heel and marching out the door. Collecting my things, I flung my curls out of my face and headed for the elevator._

Jason brought me back to the present by yanking on my hand. "Tickets, Mommy!" he said earnestly.

I looked up to find a rather peeved stewardess holding out her hand. I smiled apologetically, handed over our boarding passes, and we marched onto the plane. The ride to Smallville seemed to take forever but it was so good to see Martha and, to my surprise, Chloe, waiting outside the airport for us. Jason leapt into his grandmother's arms, seizing her attention immediately. Martha held my son like he was a lifeline, stroking his hair. She was obviously just as worried about Clark as I was.

Chloe came over and gave me a hug. "Martha told me what happened," she whispered. "Are you alright?"

I swallowed and smiled sadly. "I'm holding up. How's Martha?"

Chloe glanced over at Clark's mother with a frown. "She's used to it but I can't say that she isn't worried. She's like you, hiding her true feelings under the surface but taking strength in the things she can control."

I looked at Chloe and raised an eyebrow. It felt like we'd known each other our whole lives but I'd only just barely met her a few months ago. "You're perceptive," I commented.

"Journalist," Chloe answered with a shrug.

I looked around. Smallville was bathed in snow. "Looks like they had to break out the heavy artillery to plow through that mess; how many inches of snowfall did you get?"

"Oh, this?" Chloe asked with a laugh as she gestured around her. "This was from yesterday."

I looked at her in alarm. "It doesn't always snow like this, does it?"

Chloe laughed again. "No, this is a freak accident kind of storm. It happens from time to time."

"Lois, it's good to see you," Martha said, interrupting us to give me a hug. I looked for Jason while in her embrace; he was already in the truck. "Thank you for telling me what happened," Martha whispered.

I pulled away. I was afraid I was going to see tears in Mrs. Kent's eyes but the elderly woman held nothing but her usual kind expression. The strength radiating from her soothed my own aching soul. "If anyone deserves to know what's going on, it's you, Martha," I said.

Martha smiled. "Well, shall we get going? It's going to start to snow again and I'd rather be back on the farm before that happens."

Chloe and I took care of the bags while Martha heated up the truck. Jason and I sat in the back while Chloe took the passenger side. Martha pulled out of the small airport and made her way back to the farm. We arrived half an hour later after dealing with more black ice than I care to admit. Chloe set to work making some hot chocolate while Jason ran around in the snow with Shelby. Martha and I were curled up in blankets on the front porch swing. We watched Jason for several minutes in silence before Martha spoke.

"If you keep sighing like that everyone will see how worried you are."

I looked up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry."

She took my hand. "It's okay, Lois. I feel the same way."

I sniffed. "I'm worried about him."

"Me too."

"The League says it's only a matter of time before we find him."

"I don't have a problem with Clark being found," Martha sighed. "I'm worried about being able to get him home."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

Martha looked a little sour. "Whether this creature is human or not doesn't matter; a collector is still a collector, Lois. They will usually do everything in their power to protect their collection, even if that means spilling blood."

My gaze was fixed as I stared out at the winter wonderland possessing the Kent Farm. "If that's what it takes, I'm willing to do everything to get Clark back."

Martha looked at me for a long time. "You really do love him."

I turned to face her, a sad smile on my face. "More than anything," I muttered.

I lifted my left hand to swipe my curls from my face and Martha gasped. Like a cobra she struck out, snatching my hand and yanking it towards her. I watched in amused surprise as she examined the ring in silence. A smile split her face and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh my dear!" she cried happily. "Is this what I think it is?"

I nodded, unable to hide my own smile. Martha squealed. Her exclamation alerted Chloe who found the source of the excitement and joined in with exuberance of her own. Both Martha and Chloe were demanding all the details when a greenish glow flashed out of the corner of my eye. I turned just in time to see Jason wrapping his arms around Green Lantern and Batman. Martha and Chloe were suddenly silent. Chloe never actually met the other heroes though she'd heard a lot about them from Clark.

"Have you seen Daddy?" Jason asked, looking up at Batman.

He and Lantern shared a glance before Batman got down to Jason's level. Addressing him in a gentle tone, he said, "Your dad had to go on a mission to outer space with Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter. It's top secret so we can't tell you what he's doing or when he'll be back."

Jason looked upset but he only nodded. "I hope he'll come back soon. I wanted to talk to him about…" he fell silent.

"About what, honey?" I asked, coming to stand beside him.

Jason sent me a fearful glance before putting his hands in his pockets. "Nothing….I'm gonna go play with Shelby." And he ran off before any of us could question him further.

I stared after his retreating form with a suspicious expression. "He's keeping secrets."

"Hopefully they aren't dire," Batman muttered. "You look like you're doing better, Lois. Perhaps the city isn't really where you belong."

I rolled my eyes. "Even if I'm marrying Smallville my home will always be in the city, Batman."

The Dark Knight smirked but didn't comment.

"You're looking a whole lot better," I said turning to Green Lantern.

He rubbed his rib cage slowly. "I'm still tender but this couldn't wait."

"What is it?" I asked, suddenly fearing the worst.

Batman pulled out a file I hadn't seen he was carrying. "Take a look at this, Lois."

Unfolding the paper, I noticed that it was an official document of some kind of legal right. As my eyes traveled down the page, I realized the document I was holding claimed that the undersigned was the legal owner of….my jaw dropped. I looked up at Batman and Green Lantern. "This has got to be a joke."

"It's no joke, Lois," Green Lantern said without a hint of sarcasm.

I looked at the document again. Clark's signature was at the bottom (signed as Superman and Kal-El) along with the signature of a man by the name of Kent V. Nelson, the title under his name reading Intergalactic Chairman of Earth. The signature of every member of the United Nations was listed underneath his. At the bottom was a blank line to be signed, the title under this line in bold letters reading **OWNER**.

I looked up to find Batman holding out a pen. My mouth dropped open. "You're kidding?! Bruce! You can't seriously expect me to…"

"It's the only way of winning against the Preserver in a court of law," Green Lantern interrupted. "Lois, Clark had to sacrifice a lot to get those signatures. He had to go to the United Nations in a private conference in the middle of the night to explain the real reason behind the alien encounters. The world leaders debated for hours on who should be the one to claim to own Superman so as to counter the Preserver but every time a country tried to claim him as their own the concern was voiced that in the future that country would use the rights in war."

"Superman stepped forward then and asked to offer his say in the matter," Batman continued. "He requested that if any human were to own him, he wanted it to be his person press agent, Lois Lane. At first everyone was skeptical but after Kent V. Nelson revealed you were the best choice concerning the fate of the world, the United Nations were pacified. Everyone's signed it, including Superman himself. All that's left is your signature, Lois."

I held the key to Clark's return in my hand but this was all so much to take in! By signing this document, I would be the legal _owner _of Superman! And everyone was okay with this?! I was terrified by the very thought. By owning Superman, I could be sued by anyone for any damage he caused! I could be threatened. I could be in danger. But…then again… I'd legally _own_ Superman. He would be _mine_. Then words he'd spoken so tenderly not long ago echoed through every corner of my mind: _I am and will always be forever yours and yours alone_. By signing this document those words would no longer be words. They would be a binding contract.

"How publicly known is this document?" I asked, looking up at Batman.

"Only the world leaders, Kent V. Nelson, me, and Green Lantern know about it," Batman answered. "And a second document has been produced as binding contract to never reveal it or bring it to publication." He held out a second document. "You'll also need to sign this one."

"Shouldn't Martha know about this?" I muttered looking over my shoulder where she was sitting with Chloe, both trying not to pry but sending us occasional glances.

Batman looked at Martha and then at Green Lantern who shrugged. "She is his mother. We don't dare put her name on there because of Superman's identity but she can be trusted. Your friend, however, can't know about the documents."

"Chloe has known Clark since they were children," I said, suddenly angry. "She's kept his secret longer than any of us."

"Lantern, it's okay," Batman said because Green Lantern had opened his mouth to argue. "I've known Chloe Sullivan for a long time too. She's trustworthy. No matter how much she's tortured, she won't crack."

Green Lantern raised an eyebrow and then sighed. "Fine, you can tell her about it but she's not allowed to see it."

"Fine," I muttered, taking the pen from Batman. Swallowing and feeling as if the world was about to fall onto my shoulders, I took a deep breath and signed my name to both documents. The ink shone brightly for a few moments as it sunk into the papers. I drew another shaky breath. "I feel like the world was just placed on my shoulders. People aren't going to try to sue me for future damages, are they?"

Batman and Green Lantern chuckled.

"If you look closer at the document you'll notice that covers your concern," Green Lantern said, pointing at a line in the middle of the page.

I looked down and read: _In the regards of damages around the world following superhero activities, we, the undersigned, revoke all of Miss Lois Lane's responsibility for whatever consequences may follow._ I shook my head. "You guys really thought of everything."

"Well, Superman and Kent drew up the documents," Green Lantern said.

I scrunched my forehead. "Superman and _Kent?"_

Batman smirked. "Not the Kent you're thinking of, Lois. Kent V. Nelson, the Intergalactic Chairman of Earth is who Lantern is talking about."

"Oh. Who is he? How did he get nominated?"

"Kent V. Nelson is a very unique individual," Batman hedged. "A more famous name he goes by that you might have heard whispered on the wind is Dr. Fate."

My eyes widened. "You're kidding?! Dr. Fate? As in _the_ Dr. Fate? I've heard rumors but I thought they were more fairy tales than truth."

"And that's probably what the world will always believe," said Batman. "The man isn't one who enjoys the limelight."

"Kind of like a certain Dark Knight we all know," I replied with a smile.

Batman folded his arms. "No comment, Miss Lane."

Green Lantern took the documents back from me. "So, here's the plan, Lois. We're going to take this to the court of law the Preserver's race is affiliated with and fight for Superman's custody there. It's going to take a while if the Preserver puts up resistance but I have high hopes that we'll get Clark back before the end of the week."

I nodded. Finally some good news! "When do we leave?" I asked eagerly.

"Tonight," Batman muttered.

My eyebrows rose. "Do we know where Clark is or are we just going to the court?"

Green Lantern looked grim as he pulled out an advertisement. "This has been posted up all over Sector 734. Apparently the Preserver is going to be showing off his collection's newest addition to the public on Carnivalia, a planet that's basically a giant theme park. Nobody actually lives there but it's maintained by the planet next to it, Joriana, which uses the funds to keep their own planet thriving. Alien families come to Carnivalia all year round. It's a huge attraction."

I looked at the advertisement with slight disgust. It read: _Come see the greatest collection in the entire universe! Main attraction: the last survivor or Krypton! _

"Can we go to him first?" I asked, trying to hide the longing in my voice.

"That's the plan," Batman said. "Now, are you ready to go with us?"

"What? Now?" I asked, surprised. Batman nodded. "You could have sent me a text saying to be ready," I muttered to Bruce.

"If you need a while I can come back and pick you up," Green Lantern offered.

I could see Batman's unease about delay. From that I figured they were all ready to take off; the only thing that had kept them from rushing off into space was my signature. I was touched that the League was so anxious to leave; they really were true friends.

"Let me get my suitcase," I said.

I left the two heroes standing in the snow and went over to Martha and Chloe. I told them about the documents without going into details, telling them that I had to leave immediately or else I would have explained things in full. Martha wasn't at all surprised or upset about me owning her son. Chloe looked smug as well as amused.

"From the first time Clark told me about you I knew that he loved you, Lois," she said. "I'm glad it's you."

"Same here," Martha said before wrapping me up in a hug. "Bring him home."

"I will," I promised. I pulled away to go over to Jason who had stopped playing with Shelby. Instead he was leaning solitarily on the fence, his eyes cast towards the overcast sky. "Hey baby," I muttered.

He didn't turn. "Are you going to get Daddy?" he asked.

"Why do you ask that?" I said, my heart picking up speed.

Jason bit his lip. "I…I've been hearing things lately, Mommy. I wanted to talk to Daddy about it but I can't hear him anywhere."

I dropped down to his eye level. "What do you mean, sweetheart?" I asked even though I already knew what he would say.

"I can't hear Daddy's heartbeat," Jason said and his eyes filled with tears. "One of the bad guys took him away! I heard his heartbeat fade. It does that sometimes when he goes out into space but it didn't come back this time! It was then that I knew something bad had happened. And when we came here I thought we were going to meet him but you said he was on his way to London with Richard but I could only hear Richard's heartbeat. Daddy's is still gone. Where did he go, Mommy? Is he okay?"

This was not what I was expecting. My heart nearly broke as I watched Jason, my little Jason, worry so openly over his father. I wrapped my arms around him. "Your father is just fine," I whispered reassuringly. "I'm going to bring him home."

"Are you going to use that paper you signed to do it?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You heard that?"

Jason looked afraid. "I didn't mean to! I can't control when it happens! I'm sorry!"

"Jason, sweetie, calm down," I said gently. "I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

I shook my head. "No. It's not fair for me to be angry when this is a power you can't control yet. But you don't need to worry. I'm going to find your father and when we come back he'll help you learn how to control your hearing."

Jason latched on to me. "I'm scared, Mom."

"Oh, honey," I said, rubbing his head. "It's okay. It's all going to be okay."

"Will you come home soon?"

"I'll be back before Saturday," I promised.

"Daddy too?"

"Daddy too." He relaxed in my arms, trusting in my words completely. "Grandma's going to watch over you while I'm gone. Will you be a big boy and protect her while your daddy is away?"

Jason got a determined look in his eye. It was so similar to Clark. I felt a surge of pride as he nodded boldly. I kissed his forehead. "That's my boy," I muttered. Taking his hand, I led Jason over to Martha who picked him up and kissed his cheek.

"I'll take care of him, Lois," she promised.

I smiled. "I know you will, Martha. Thank you."

She smiled. I kissed Jason one more time, hugged Chloe, and joined Green Lantern and Batman with my suitcase. "Let's go."

Green Lantern activated his ring, placing Batman and I in a large square before taking off. Jason waved as we flew into the clouds. "I love you, Munchkin," I said aloud. I saw him grin and knew he'd heard me.

888

Clark lounged in his cell with his nose stuck in a book. Today all he'd done was read and he was going out of his mind. Never before had he had such leisure time. People were surely crying out to him back on Earth, begging for his help. He was going mad not having his abilities. The lack of constant voices had caused him to seek out the voices of those that dwelt in books. At least the Preserver had the decency to provide him with literature from all over the galaxy. Though Clark couldn't read some of the dialect, he found several Kryptonian novels that he'd heard about from the AI in the Fortress but had never read. They were very different from Earth's, detailing facts more than emotional passion in the stories. Clark didn't mind though he preferred Earth's authors to what he was currently enjoying.

The ship he was on had been in constant motion the second he had been secured in his cell. Clark wondered where they were going. He paused in his novel when he felt the ship change course, making a downward slope rather than straight. He gritted his teeth and tried to fight his discomfort. Though this ship flew smoother than Earth's planes, it still was susceptible to turbulence. The ship shook periodically, unnerving Clark completely. He gripped the edges of his seat tightly until the ship touched down. He sighed in relief.

"I hate aircrafts," he muttered angrily, turning his attention back to his novel. He didn't even look up when the Preserver knocked on the glass. "What?" he demanded, his nose still in his book.

"I see you are adjusting well," the Preserver said.

Clark frowned in distaste but refused to respond.

"I must say it is better than your foolish attempts yesterday," the Preserver went on, gesturing to several pieces of broken furniture Clark had thrown in an attempt to break the glass to no avail.

"What do you want?" Clark asked, finally looking up from his book.

The Preserver raised an eyebrow. "Such attitude; I heard Kryptonians were rather proud creatures. I see that is correct. We are participating for a month at Carnivalia, an amusement park for the universe's enjoyment. You'll have many visitors so try to be courteous and not embarrass me."

Anger boiled in Clark's veins. "And if I do?"

The Preserver pulled out the Kryptonite handcuffs Lobo had used to drag him here. "I'll be forced to punish you."

Clark grimaced but then sighed. "Fine."

He hated it but if he was going to figure out a way to get out of here, he couldn't act rashly. He'd play the Preserver's game for now.

His collector looked pleased as he put the handcuffs away. "We will open to the public in a few hours. Try to be awake when our first guests arrive."

"Whatever," Clark muttered, turning back to his book.

Hours later, Clark didn't realize he had a full audience of silent on lookers until he put the book down out of boredom; it hadn't progressed very well. He tried to act naturally as he moved over to the bookcase to peruse the volumes.

Someone tapped on the glass. Clark turned to see a group of strange alien children of all varieties looking at him with their abnormal noses pressed against the glass. He raised an eyebrow before deciding to humor them. Kids were still kids after all, no matter what kind of race. Acting like Clark Kent, he sent them a wave with a goofy grin. His action caused several kids to back away in fear. Curious but deciding to remain nonchalant over their reactions, Clark grabbed another Kryptonian volume and began to read.

"It says here that he was found on a planet far away in another solar system," someone muttered, reading a plaque on Clark's cell that had been mounted there probably while he'd been sleeping the night before.

Clark sighed. "This is going to take some getting used to."

Keeping his nose in his book, he sat dignified like a Kryptonian would. He even humored people by meditating like a Kryptonian, pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, his head held high, his eyes locked on the ceiling. Those meditation moments were some of Clark's favorites because they allowed his mind to wander back in time to the days when there was nothing but him and Lois. He always envisioned her in his arms, her head resting gently over his chest, her hands wrapped securely around his wide torso.

It was always when Clark was in the middle of a wonderful meditation about Lois that some jerk would bang on the glass and interrupt his thoughts. Those creatures treated him like a mindless animal and it bothered him to no end. He often did his best to appear stony faced to them, stopping his meditation to stick his nose back into his book until they walked away out of boredom.

While there were those who treated him like an unintelligent life form, there were others who came seeking knowledge, asking him all kinds of questions. Apparently Krypton had harbored some of the brightest life forms in the universe and many scholars went there to learn about the cosmos and the advancements the planet possessed. Clark highly enjoyed the three to four hour discussions he would get into with certain scholars who would ask him questions about solar systems and the deeper realms of the sciences; those conversations always possessed a silent thank you from Clark towards Jor-El who'd forced him to learn these things for years. He never thought he'd ever have to use the information but now it certainly was coming in handy.

After a rather lengthy conversation with a scientist from a planet several sectors away, Clark yawned. This cell held no way of knowing what time it was. All he knew was that after a long day of entertaining people, he was ready to go to sleep. It was then that the lights shut down all around him and the only glow came from the red orb in his ceiling. Though he didn't understand how, when it was time for sleep, the red sun would become a red moon, giving off light but not enough to make Clark's eyes water. The change occurred instantly, unlike a natural sunset, which disoriented Clark more than anything.

Looking up at the red moon, Clark sighed. "I'd give anything to see Earth's moon again," he mused, walking over to the couch he slept on. He didn't find the Kryptonian-like bed as comfortable as Earth's (it was nothing like the one in the Fortress back home) but the couch came pretty close. Stretching his body out to the fullest, Clark sighed again and allowed his eyes to close.

After being on Carnivalia for five days, a pattern was soon established. Every morning, Clark would wake early enough before the crowds appeared to make himself look presentable; thankfully the shower in his cell was private. Shortly after that, one of the Preserver's droids would bring him Kryptonian food for breakfast. Clark had to give the unknown chef some credit; the food was the only good thing about being locked up. He'd always wanted to try recipes from his homeland but he never had the ingredients to do it even though he had a plethora of cookbooks in the Fortress's database.

Human food had always satisfied him before but this Kryptonian stuff charged his body like nothing he'd ever felt. Even without his powers, his body absorbed the nutrients and felt ten times stronger after digestion, an experience Clark had never had on Earth. He wondered if this was what humans felt like after eating a healthy meal.

After he would finish his breakfast, he'd go over to the books and pick out several volumes, moving from strictly novels to historical facts. The longer he stayed in a Kryptonian environment, the more he found himself enjoying facts rather than imagination and problem solving instead of day dreams. His meditation became real instead of an act and his conversation with scholars was highly enjoyed and soon becoming the greatest attraction to attend. After three days Clark would have audiences with creatures that would want to discuss deep topics with him and though he'd grown up on Earth and had only learned about Krypton and all its intelligence through his father's consciousness, Clark found himself filled with knowledge he'd buried a long time ago; he thanked his eidetic memory for that!

The day would go by with all sorts of creatures coming to see him, some merely to stare, others to learn. Though confined, Clark found the routine tolerable. If he didn't have people to talk to he would have gone stir crazy. From this experience he felt bad for zoo animals. At least he could talk to people, unlike the animals back on Earth that only had unknown faces staring at them for all hours of the day. What a dreadful life.

"I have got to get out of here," Clark muttered as he massaged his temples. He'd just come away from a very deep conversation with someone about the construction of atoms and what should have been a five minute answer had turned into a three hour debate. Clark sat down on his couch in exhaustion, his thoughts leisurely coming to dwell on Lois…her soft hair gliding through his fingers…her hazel eyes displaying mischief and fire…her soft lips…her smell…

Clark shook himself and rubbed his eyes. As much as he wanted to he couldn't allow fantasies of Lois to seize his mind; he couldn't allow anyone in the crowd to see past the mask he'd formed as a "dignified Kryptonian". He had to fool them all while continuing to analyze the best way for escape. Too bad the only exit was in the ceiling where the Preserver's droid would descend to provide him with what he needed for the day. Clark had searched every inch of his cell and found no way of escaping. As long as he was under that ridiculous red sun, he was subject to the Preserver's will.

Depressed by the thought, Clark moved to pick up a book when something caused him to pause. "It's not possible," he muttered.

_Lois Lane was standing on the other side of the glass._

888

Though he wasn't wearing his usual red and blue uniform, I couldn't deny Clark looked absolutely breathtaking in the black outfit that held the emblem of the house of El on his broad chest. He was rubbing his eyes, looking downright tired, when we walked up to his cell. I looked around the room. A large bookshelf containing hundreds of novels stood against the far wall next to the desk that Clark was currently sitting behind. Weird looking objects sat on the other flat surfaces (a table and a set of drawers) for the sake of décor. A deep silver rug was displayed along the floor, ending at the foot of a large black couch. A door way next to the book case led to a back room that I suspected was a bedroom. Everything from the décor to the furniture -minus the couch- was built in the familiar Fortress of Solitude crystal and yet it lacked the comfortable feeling I was accustomed to. Perhaps the reason was because of the creepy red orb lodged into the ceiling.

"A red sun," Batman muttered.

Anger pulsed through me at the very thought of the Preserver stealing Clark's powers. He'd taken away half of Clark's identity with that stupid ceiling decoration. My heart went out to Clark whose hand was still over his eyes though he was no longer rubbing them. He seemed to be thinking of something. I'd seen him do this very thing too many times to count when trying to solve a story. I walked forward and put my hand on the glass.

It was then that Clark lowered his hand, stood up, and froze. His blue eyes landed on mine and they widened in obvious surprise. He said something aloud but I wasn't reading his lips. I was too absorbed by his eyes, his beautiful blue unearthly eyes, which had a way of capturing my soul. Clark walked to the glass and stopped right in front of me. The other alien creatures that had come to see him looked on with interest as he reached out a hand and placed it on the glass. I placed my hand in the same position over his, longing for the glass to disappear so I could leap into his arms.

"Lois," he muttered, his voice tender, his eyes radiating with love.

I smiled while fighting tears. "Hi, Smallville."

Clark beamed. "It _is_ you! I thought you were a figment of my imagination. How did you find me?"

I looked over my shoulder and Clark finally seemed to notice the Justice League. "Hal tracked you down," I said.

The League stepped forward and the other creatures backed away unconsciously in fear from their commanding presence.

Clark looked a little embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, from everything that's happened in my life I never imagined having to be rescued from this kind of situation."

"Neither did we," Batman muttered. "You look good though."

Clark rolled his eyes. "For someone who's been locked up like an animal on display I'm surprised you think so."

"How are you able to talk to us through the glass?" Wonder Woman asked.

Clark shrugged. "It's some kind of technology the Preserver has."

"It's almost like a webcam except the technology is way more advanced than what we have on Earth," Batman observed.

Clark finally noticed that all of the humans in our group wore a kind of clear mask over our faces. In answering his questioning look, I explained. "Oxygen masks. They were developed by Batman."

"Impressive," Clark muttered. "At first I didn't even realize you had them on."

"That's the look I was hoping for," Batman muttered.

"Let's marvel over oxygen masks later," Green Arrow growled.

"Right," I said, turning to Clark. "How can we get in touch with the Preserver?"

Clark shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest clue. I haven't been out of this cell since I woke up."

My desire to kick the Preserver into the next galaxy increased. "Lantern, do you know where we might find him?"

"Why are you looking for him?" Clark asked.

I reached in my bag and pulled out a piece of paper, holding it up to him. Comprehension dawned on his face.

"You signed it."

"I did."

"I was afraid you wouldn't."

I looked at him tenderly. "I hate to break it to you, Smallville, but I rather enjoy being the owner of the last Kryptonian. It has its…advantages."

To my pleasure, Clark lightly blushed.

Flash cleared his throat from feeling awkward. "As fun as it is to watch you two lovebirds have a moment, we have a job to do."

"What's the matter, Barry?" I teased, "Feeling uncomfortable?"

Flash rolled his eyes.

"Flash is right," Batman said. "We need to find the Preserver."

"And then what?" Clark asked.

"I'm going to arrest him," Hal answered.

Clark finally became aware that Hal wasn't in his usual Lantern attire. "Why are you undercover?"

"Green Lanterns tend to scare people out in the universe, Clark, especially here," Hal answered.

"Well, now would be a good time to make an entrance," Green Arrow said. "Since the Preserver obviously isn't going to be found a midst the crowd."

Hal sighed. "Just brace yourselves for the reactions you'll see."

He pulled on the ring, flinging his cloak to the side. The room fell into immediate chaos from the Green Lantern's dramatic entrance. Some creatures flew for the exit screaming like they were convicted criminals, others shuddered and plastered themselves to the walls, and a few brave souls looked on with admiration. Hal took charge immediately.

"By order of the Corp this exhibit is closed. Please make your way to the exits." It wasn't a request. The visitors immediately rushed for the doors at the same time Carnivalia's security arrived to find the source of distress. They were a slender race, their skin white with green veins running like spider webs down their arms, legs, and faces. They wore a unique uniform; bare-chested with a sash crossing at an angle that attached to their pants. They had four arms and six eyes. Despite their bizarre appearance, I didn't find them threatening.

Green Lantern addressed them in their language which involved a series of clicks and hisses a midst foreign words. The guards nodded several times while Hal stood unmoving, his presence rather commanding and impressive. He really was a military man. After the room had been cleared of everyone but us, the guards disappeared and Hal finally let out a sigh.

"Well, that was interesting," Flash muttered. "I didn't think you'd be able to speak like that, Hal."

"Believe me, it really hurts the throat," Hal said, rubbing his Adam's apple.

"So what's the verdict?" Wonder Woman demanded.

"I told them I was here to place the Preserver under arrest for illegal activity. They asked who all of you were and I said you were friends of the Corp, including Clark in that statement. They weren't too thrilled by the news of illegal activity. Jorianans don't like to deal with rule breakers. The Preserver should be in our custody soon. We'll take him to court – I've already set it up with the Sector 734 judge – and get this mess over with." Hal took out some strange looking clock and frowned. "We'd better hurry too or we're going to be late."

"You might want to shield everyone, Hal," Batman said.

Green Lantern turned around to find that Batman had placed bombs along Clark's cell while the others were talking. Each one was already beeping alarmingly fast. Throwing out his hand, Hal made a giant shield just before the glass exploded. Clark had flipped his couch to protect himself. After the explosion, Hal yelled at Batman for acting without consulting him first while I ran through all the glass shards and propelled myself into Clark's arms.

He latched onto me, holding me like I was the only source of life he knew. He cupped my face, running his thumb along my cheek. "I was afraid…" he whispered.

I nodded knowing his fear without words. It was the same fear I had: that we wouldn't see each other ever again. "I love you, Kal-El," I whispered.

Since I had the stupid oxygen mask on I couldn't kiss him like I wanted too. Clark looked peeved by that as well but he settled for kissing my forehead. The second his lips touched my skin I felt an electric current sweep through my body, like I had been shocked back to life. My heartbeat quickened and I felt myself longing to grab Clark and disappear into the bedroom by the bookcase. Our tender reunion was spoiled, however, by the arrival of the Preserver and the Carnivalia guards.

I was expecting the Preserver to be a little intimidating yet he was anything but. For an alien, he really looked like a dorky collector who spent more time being alone with his precious hoard than socializing with others. His body was large but he had arms that did not appear to fit the rest of his body and his skin was a faint orange color. He also didn't have any legs, hovering in the air like some creepy little wraith. I wanted nothing more than to ball up my fist and punch him right between his large watery-looking eyes but I refrained.

The Preserver's appearance remained neutral but his voice was filled with anger as he demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"

Green Lantern stepped forward, holding out a letter. "By order of the Green Lantern Corps, you're under arrest for stealing the property of Lois Lane."

The Preserver appeared wary. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Lantern. I haven't stolen anything belonging to this woman."

I released myself from Clark and marched up to him with the document of proof in my hands. "Oh yes you did you slimy excuse for a creature!"

"Miss Lane, please keep things…civil," Green Lantern suggested more than ordered.

I lowered the fist I'd planned to thrust right into the Preserver's face. Hal was right. I refused to give the Preserver any kind of dirt that could be used against me; even though I wanted nothing more than to tackle him to the ground and beat him black and blue - or whatever color he'd be when bruised. Breathing heavily, I curbed my emotions and held up the paper proving that Clark was mine. The Preserver's eyes widened when he saw the signatures at the bottom.

"This is not legal," he said lamely.

"It is," I snapped. "It even has Kal-El's signature on the document. You stole what rightfully belongs to me and I'm here to take him back."

The Preserver frowned. "And what, Miss Lane, are your reasons for owning the last Kryptonian?"

That question caught me off guard. I didn't know what exactly to say but Clark came to my rescue. "I made a Kryptonian vow with her." The Preserver looked confused so Clark explained further. "Due to her heroics in saving my life on more than one occasion, I made the sealing vow of Krypton with her. I am bound to her and her alone forever. Whatever she wants me to be, I am."

The collector looked like someone had spit right in his face. "That was a foolish thing to do, Kal-El!" he snapped angrily. "Is it not true, once that vow has been made, the penalty is death if it is broken?"

Clark looked at my shocked expression over this revelation and nodded. "Yes, it is."

"Why would you do that?" I whispered, stunned.

Clark smiled. "I'd do anything for you, Miss Lane."

My eyes filled with tears but I suppressed them. My face showed all my love. Clark betrayed nothing emotional, keeping his features slack, though I noted the warmth deep in his eyes.

The Preserver looked like he was going to blow a gasket. "I refuse to accept this document as valid!" he snapped.

Green Lantern produced a pair of handcuffs that looped around the Preserver's wrists, drawing them together behind his back. "Then let's settle this."

"Where are we going?" he demanded.

"Court," Green Lantern replied.

The Preserver paled.

**AN: Hey all! Thank you for reading! I just wanted to reassure you this story is NOT reaching it's ending just yet! Nope, there's more to come folks! Lots more! Remember, we still have those mysterious burned footprints and fires to solve! Stay tuned; more to come in five days I promise and it'll be worth the wait! Leave a review if you feel so inclined! (to those guests who leave reviews, I can't find a way to respond but thank you so much for reviewing! Your words mean a lot to me!) You guys are amazing! :)**


	16. Return

**AN: My precious readers, followers, favorite-ers, and reviewers, I am so sorry I missed my usual update day yesterday! Yesterday was crazy and I didn't even get to touch my computer! But here it is, for your viewing pleasure! Thank you very much for sticking with this story, reviewing, and loving my ideas! I promise a new chapter will come four days from now (Tuesday) to get back on the usual updating schedule. This chapter begins the roller coaster! If there are any mistakes, they are my own.**

**Remember, a review makes a fan author's day! Thank you for reviewing, following, favoriting, and reading!**

**Disclaimer: As always, I don't own anything Superman but I can say that I love him! :)**

16: Return

It was a clean cut case. The Preserver had no documentation to support his reasons for taking Clark and after further inspection, he was found to be harboring other creatures illegally. He'd tried to defend himself by saying he was in the process of gaining the rights to them but when he couldn't support any documents proving said processes, he was taken away in chains with a sentence of a thousand years in prison. Worried about the other creatures he'd been imprisoned with, Clark asked the court what their fate would be.

Since nobody had an idea of what to do about them, Clark asked if he could have them since their former owner was found incompetent of taking care of them behind bars. The court discussed it for a while before agreeing that any creature Clark wanted could be his. After signing a document of ownership, we left the court room, returning to our ship.

"Where are you going to keep thirty alien creatures now that you own them?" Wonder Woman asked.

Clark smiled. "The Arctic is a pretty big place. The Fortress should evolve to accommodate them nicely."

"Great, thirty alien pets," I sighed. "They're going to require a lot of maintenance. Are you sure you can handle that?"

Clark took my hand and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry, Lois. I wouldn't have asked to keep them if I didn't have a way of taking care of them."

"Why would you want them anyway?" Green Arrow wondered.

We boarded the ship as Clark became rather quiet. Everyone looked at him. He didn't meet anyone's eye as he walked passed, answering Green Arrow, "I know what it's like to be the last of your kind. They've been together in the Preserver's collection for a while now. They've probably come to know each other as family. It would be cruel to take them away from that. By owning them, I can ensure their safety."

Nobody said anything as we got into the ship and took off. Batman used his technology to somehow transport Clark's new friends onto the ship – still in their containment pods – in the lowest hanger. After making sure they were secure, we took off for home.

I found myself standing near a window, watching the stars sail by. Clark came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I leaned into him and sighed. He was back to wearing his suit, having shed the black Kryptonian garb the second he could.

"You changed," I muttered, fingering the blue sleeves around me.

"I like the black uniforms they wore on Krypton but I feel more like myself in this," Clark muttered into my hair.

"I like you in either uniform," I said.

Clark chuckled.

After a moment's silence, I placed my hands over his and asked, "Is this what it was like…when you traveled?"

"Yes," he muttered quietly. "It felt like I was constantly swimming through stars. It was rather lonely though, since I made the trip alone. I thought about you a lot then. You were the only thing that really kept me going."

I felt a twinge of sorrow. "And when you got back…"

"Lois, stop," he said gently, twisting me around so I was facing him. His eyes held nothing but love. "Everything that happened occurred for a reason and even after all of it, we ended up here" – he cupped my face – "together."

I smiled and placed my hand over his. "You're right. We can't seem to stay away from each other."

"Would you want that?"

"No…. Clark?"

"Yes?"

"About what you said before…" I paused, unsure how to continue.

"You're wondering about the vow?" Clark guessed.

"Yes!" I sighed in frustration, pulling away to lean against the wall and look out at the stars because I was having difficulty facing him.

"Why are you so upset?"

I chewed the inside of my lip, unsure of how to best voice my thoughts. "Will you really die if you break it?"

"I won't keel over dead if that's what you're thinking," Clark said gently but there was humor in his voice. I couldn't bring myself to find this amusing and Clark seemed to take the hint because the smile fell off his face. "Lois? What's wrong?"

I was frustrated. "How could you do something like that?!" I snapped. Clark's eyes widened in surprise and bemusement as I stepped closer to him. "How could you possibly make a vow that could threaten your life, Clark? You're _SUPERMAN!_ The entire world needs you! You can't afford to put your life in jeopardy…for…_me_." I choked out the last words, my heart hurting as they fell from my lips like poison.

More than anything I wanted to be selfish. More than anything I wanted to grab him and say how much I loved that he would give himself to me so completely. But it wasn't right. It wasn't _fair_. He couldn't only belong to me. The world needed him. I was not going to make the same mistake as last time in being selfish. I couldn't afford another mind wipe. I'd snap. We were meant to be together, that much was crystal clear, but it didn't mean that he was to be mine and mine alone – even though my heart bled just thinking those words.

"I can't be yours alone," I whispered. The stupid tears I'd been repressing were falling down my cheeks like a river in full force. "I can't allow you to make the same mistake again, Clark. Though I don't remember what happened, I'm smart enough to know that the last time I tried to keep you all for myself, the world plunged into chaos. I have to share you. I can't keep you grounded. And don't you dare think this is just like last time because it's not!" – Caught in his guilt, he looked stunned – "I am perfectly fine sharing you with the world, Clark. What I'm not fine with is you jeopardizing your life by making a vow like that! You have to belong to the world too."

Clark's eyes were so full of love and tenderness I almost forgot that I needed to breath. The man was going to choke me to death from that gaze! But oh, how I loved and longed to see it every time I was near him. That one look took my spirits and lifted me into my own personal heaven. He took my hands, gently, and looked unblinkingly into my eyes.

"Lois," he said softly in his voice that was half Clark and half Superman. "Please allow me to explain. The laws and customs of Krypton are different from those of Earth. If I ever broke the vow, which I never will, but if I did, I would have to go to the Kryptonian council to face judgment before any punishment can be affixed. The judgment process is excruciatingly thorough and can last months if needed. They take all witnesses into account before passing any kind of sentence. The Sealing Vow of Krypton is special in the regards that the punishment always results in death but it takes two confirmed testimonies before it can be passed, one from the person who was vowed to and the second from the person who gave the vow. Until the two confess the same thing the council cannot pass judgment. Now, it takes the two because the Sealing Vow is the way Kryptonians pledge themselves to those they love."

I scrutinized him for a moment. "You mean…it's like proposing to someone?"

Clark smiled. "I always knew you were the best investigative journalist on Earth."

A deep blush reddened my cheeks. "So…the Sealing Vow…"

"Is a proposal," Clark finished, his fingers playing with the ring on my left finger. "On Krypton, words have the most power whereas on Earth a ring symbolizes the bond of love." He then said something in Kryptonian and even though I couldn't understand it, I somehow knew what he said.

I repeated the words in English. "Forever yours and yours alone," I whispered.

Clark smiled. "Yes."

"So…when you said it means that you'll be whatever I want you to be…?"

"That means that by pledging myself to you, I give you everything I am and therefore will give you everything you need in order to make you happy," he supplied. "If you want me to be Superman, I'll be Superman. If you want me to be Clark, I'll be Clark." He said each changing his tone to fit each guise mentioned. "And if you want me to be Kal-El," he muttered, his voice becoming that soft baritone my heart loved so much, "I will be Kal-El. Whichever persona you want, Lois, that's what I will be. I'm forever yours and yours alone."

"What about the world?"

"The world will always have Superman."

"What about Clark?"

He smiled. "Well, the Daily Planet survived without him for five years but he does have a mother who needs him."

I looked at the man that I loved and felt a surge of longing for all three personas. "I love all three of the men you mentioned," I muttered. "Can I have all three?"

Clark grinned. "All three are me."

"Depending on the circumstance, whether your saving the world, being a reporter, or being alone with me, I want you to be whatever is necessary at the time. I want all three men in my life because all three make up you and I'm in love with all of you, not just a piece. But, for sake of normalcy, I'm probably going to stick with calling you Clark although…" I leaned on tiptoe and spoke in his ear, my lips brushing against his earlobe, "I'll save Kal-El for special occasions."

Clark shivered and I grinned victoriously over once again making the Man of Steel tremble. He pulled me into his embrace and crushed his lips against mine, his hands pressing me even more firmly to his body. His longing desires were spoken without words as his lips repeatedly came over mine. My heart was crashing against my chest as I drank in his unspoken words. They were like a recharge to my deepest longings. Out of pure instinct, my hands started trying to unclasp the cape from around Clark's shoulders. Immediately there was a gust of wind and Clark was out of my arms.

I looked around confused until I found him on the opposite side of the room with his back to me. He was leaning against the railing that overlooked the lower level of the ship, his breathing was –for once – coming out in gasps.

"Clark?" I asked, trying to keep the hurt from my voice. Why had he run away?

He turned to look at me. His eyes were filled with longing but his face was its famous expression of guilt. He slowly walked back over to me and took my hands. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to run away but…"

His cheeks were beginning to brighten and something clicked in my head. An understanding smirk crept onto my face and I lightly punched his arm. "Nothing's going to stop you from being traditional, huh?"

Clark grinned sheepishly. "Yeah."

I laughed and lightly kissed his cheek. "I guess I can wait. I waited for years, I can keep waiting. After all, you're worth it."

I squeezed his hand and decided to change the subject since if we kept talking about our feelings, we were sure to head back into dangerous waters. "Clark, there's something you should be aware of when we get back."

"What is it?" he wondered, his tone filled with relief that I hadn't been angry over his reaction.

"Perry knows your secret."

"WHAT?!"

I smirked. "I didn't tell him."

"I didn't suspect you did, Lois," he said quickly, "but…how?"

Laughing, I replied, "You weren't really good at hiding your clothes back in the day, you know. Perry has a whole set of drawers full of your old shirts, ties, pants, shoes, and socks. The janitors believed we had a stripper in the building but Perry put two and two together. There's a reason he's the Editor of the biggest newspaper in the world, Clark."

Clark sighed. "Overly observant old man…now I know where you learned it from."

I grinned. "I learned from the best!"

"That explains why that set of drawers is made out of lead," he muttered.

I laughed. "Don't worry, Clark, he's never going to reveal your secret."

Clark shook his head, stunned. "The top two journalists in the entire world know the secret identity of Superman and yet neither of them is going to reveal it to the public. How does that work?"

"Maybe they don't want to reveal it because if they did, they'd no longer be able to write about him and that would cause damage in sales to their paper," I said.

"Oh, I see," Clark replied playfully, "it's all about the sales."

"Of course, Clark," I said wryly, "it makes the world go round, after all."

Clark scoffed. I laughed. We kissed.

888

"Clark, get up here!" Batman's voice came over the intercom and it sounded…anxious?

I looked over at Clark who immediately leapt out of bed; he had been lying down under sunlamps to restore the energy taken from him while under that infernal red sun most of the trip home. We were supposed to be landing in a few minutes. What was going on? Batman never displayed such emotion. Both of us rushed up to the main cockpit of the ship. We had charted our course to land in the arctic so as to drop off Clark's new exotic animals.

The only problem was the arctic was on fire.

My eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. There was still snow but a huge hole had appeared in the earth ahead of us, as if a huge drill had ground its way down to its core. A constant inferno was shooting towards the sky, its flames controlled and somehow not melting the snow surrounding it.

"How on earth…?" I gasped.

"We're not sure," Wonder Woman answered.

"I've just completed a scan through satellite and, besides this location, these holes are located in seven different places all around the Earth, one on each continent," Batman informed while typing quickly on his computer.

"Do you know how they were created and who put them here?" Clark asked.

"You might want to see this," Batman muttered, pressing a button. "I looked up news footage of what's been going on for the past five days while we've been gone."

The screen displayed several windows at once, each showing fires around the world with a signature left behind: a set of blackened footprints. "You've got to be kidding," I muttered as I looked at the screens. Each fire was located on a different continent but all had the same result.

"The seven large infernos around the earth are located in the same spot as those fires," Batman went on further.

"What about Metropolis?" Clark asked. "Two fires occurred there. Is one of these holes in the city?"

Batman typed some more and after a second pulled up the location for each one of the holes. Clark and I breathed a sigh of relief; Metropolis was safe. The hole in North America was situated somewhere in the Midwest. My relief changed to panic.

"Lois?" Clark asked. He heard my heart race.

"Jason," I breathed.

Clark's eyes widened and he whipped around to see the hole in North America was located just outside of Smallville. "Bruce, do we have any way to communicate with anyone?"

Batman shook his head. "No. I've tried to get hold of Alfred for about an hour but all I get is static."

"How does your satellite work then?" Flash asked.

"My satellites run on solar energy," Batman answered. "I made it that way in case something like this should ever happen."

"We need to get to Smallville," I said, my motherly instincts overriding everything else.

Clark grabbed my shoulders. "Lois, he's okay."

"How do you know?!" I cried desperately.

"I can hear his heartbeat," Clark said, "Along with my mother's."

I swallowed. "You can?"

"Yes. They're in Metropolis."

I breathed a little. "So he's okay?"

Clark held me close. "Yes. I'll keep an ear on him but right now we need to figure out what these holes are."

"Let's drop off the extra cargo real quick and then we can investigate," J'onn suggested. "It wouldn't do well to have so many exotic creatures aboard if we ran into an attack."

"Good point," Clark muttered. But then he looked forlorn.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I just realized…my crystals," Clark muttered. "If I still had them, I'd be able to adapt the Fortress in such a way that the creatures could have better living environments."

Green Lantern smacked himself in the forehead. "Oh yeah! Amidst all the excitement I forgot…" – he moved to the side and picked up a bag – "Sorry it took me so long to find them. New Krypton was picked up by Pluto's orbit but we'll keep that information on the down low."

Clark opened the bag and gaped at the brilliant crystals within. After counting them, he looked up at Green Lantern. "Thank you." His tone was heartfelt, his face one of complete gratitude. Hal Jordan had restored his heritage to him and though his words were few, the emotion behind them spoke volumes.

Green Lantern smiled and clapped a hand on Superman's shoulder. "No problem, big guy. Now, let's unload your pets."

Grinning, Clark flew out of the ship and rocketed towards his Fortress which was still in the distance. I hadn't seen him this excited since I came to see him in Smallville. That day had felt like forever ago now. We'd been through so much in the past few days I really wanted to take a break from it all. Christmas was supposed to be next week and instead of returning to a world filled with holiday cheer, we found ourselves faced with what was clearly another threat. And of course whoever was the instigator waited until all the members of the League were gone from Earth.

I gasped.

"What is it?" Batman asked. He'd remained alone with me while the others went to help Clark with the animals.

"Don't you find it a little strange that we leave only to come back and find the Earth has giant holes going down to its core spewing fire?"

Batman didn't blink. "Go on."

I stood up. "Well, I honestly thought that the Preserver would be more diabolical so when we met him I was pretty disappointed. He was just an overly obsessed collector."

"For the most part," Batman corrected. "He did threaten to punish Clark, didn't he?"

"Yeah but anyone who owns something they consider to be a pet or something feels the need to punish it if it's behaving against their preference. No, I don't think the Preserver fits under the title of extreme villain."

"You think Clark's abduction was planned so as to get us out of the way?" Batman guessed.

I nodded. "Exactly! Think about it, Bruce! The fires in Metropolis all targeted Clark. The owner of those footprints knew he was a threat and wanted him out of the way in order to accomplish whatever plan he had in mind. So he found out that Clark is the last Kryptonian, got in touch with the Preserver who hired bounty hunters to capture him, and once he was out of the way and we came after him, the pyromaniac made his move!"

"It makes sense but now the question is: who is the owner of the footprints?"

"That's what we need to find out! The sooner we talk to someone, the better. We need to discover exactly what happened after we left."

"And we need to be cautious because if this person wanted us out of the way, we don't want them to know we're back. The element of surprise would be our greatest asset."

"How do you suggest we do that?" I wondered. "A bunch of brightly clad heroes doesn't exactly blend in with the rest of society."

Batman pulled off his cowl. "We come out of the closet so to speak," Bruce said, smiling his millionaire smile.

I swallowed. "Do you think the others will be comfortable with this?"

"They're going to have to be if we're going to figure out who this threat is," Bruce replied. "More work can be accomplished if we're undercover."

"Taking off the suit does one thing but we're still in a spaceship," I pointed out.

"Good think I have a cloaking device," Bruce said, pointing at a clear button outlined in blue. "We can fly back to Gotham and land in the Batcave without a problem."

I swallowed. "It sounds so easy but after being around Clark for so long I have this foreboding that something will go wrong."

Bruce stood up and put a hand on my shoulder. "We don't know who this pyromaniac really is but I can assure you we'll make it to Gotham safely."

I nodded. "I trust you, Bruce. You're a good friend."

He smiled. "So are you, Lois."

It took about thirty minutes to move Clark's new pets into the Fortress. After the others were on board, they found me sitting in the cockpit talking to Bruce who was dressed in a fancy business suit.

"What's going on?" Green Arrow asked.

Bruce did the explanations while I filled everyone in on my assumptions. It was agreed by everyone that my suspicions were highly likely.

"So we're all going under the radar," Flash sighed. "Are we going to split?"

"That would probably be best," said Aquaman. "We could cover more ground by getting the stories from people and then regrouping to compare them."

Clark nodded. "We'll be less noticeable in smaller groups too."

Bruce pulled out a box that had little clear ear pieces inside. "Here, everyone take one of these. If you run into any problems, call another League member. I know that each of us feels that we're tough enough to do things on our own but this time we shouldn't go solo."

"Wow, this coming from you Bats?" Flash said as he picked up an ear piece. "I'm shocked."

"When required, I have backup," Bruce muttered with a shrug, "This situation, where the enemy in unknown, requires that we work together instead of alone."

"I didn't exactly bring a change of clothes," muttered Aquaman.

"That's alright," said Bruce while standing up. "I have something for everyone."

We followed Bruce out of the cockpit to what would at first seem like an empty wall. Placing his hand on it, a panel appeared, scanned his prints, and a little green light lit up on the consol as the wall slid open, revealing eight individual compartments.

"Hey, this is my shirt!" Flash cried, holding up a tee with a graphic design. "Where did you get this?!"

Bruce smirked. "I make it my business to know who it is I'm working with."

"So you felt the need to steal our clothes?" Green Lantern asked, picking up one of his pairs of camo pants.

"I don't see why you two are complaining," Green Arrow said as he pulled out an expensive business suit. "Nice choice, Bruce. This is one of my favorites."

I looked at Clark's locker and smiled. He was holding up a suit but it wasn't like those hideous two sizes two big suits he used to wear. Though not designer brand like a millionaire, this was a fitted suit and a fairly nice grey one at that. A pair of the new glasses he'd switched to sat in a clear case next to a pair of shiny black shoes. I suddenly longed to see him in it. As if reading my mind, Clark spun on his heel and the blue and red switched to a grey blur. He came to a halt and I sucked in a quick breath, my heart picking up.

_Wow. _

Clark looked incredible! My eyes roamed up and down, drinking in every inch of him. His white shirt brought out the bright blue tie which perfectly accented the grey suit jacket. The jacket itself displayed his broad shoulders, the fabric leaving just enough room for imagination over what he looked like without it on. I suddenly longed to see but I wasn't about to try to yank the coat off in front of the other League members. Clark's glasses hid his eyes but complimented the new look quite well.

"What do you think?" he asked, eyeing me a little nervously. "Is it…?"

"Clark Kent?" I finished. I looked him up and down and bit my thumbnail as I smiled. "Yeah, I think so. But…I need to see the act too before I approve of it. Right now you look like a handsome face modeling for a suit company."

Immediately Clark hunched his shoulders, pushed up his glasses, and gave me a goofy grin. "Well, golly, Lois, I hope that's a compliment," he said in his higher pitched Clark voice.

My eyebrows rose. He remained hunched over but silent, waiting to hear my verdict. Stepping up to him, I grabbed his tie suddenly and yanked on it so his lips met mine. I released him and he stood, shocked, with a faint blush on his cheeks. I grinned. "There you are, Clark."

Clark fumbled with his tie, his cheeks still dark. "I-I take it you approve of the look?" he stuttered.

"You pull it off quite nicely," I said kindly.

He straightened his shoulders and smiled the familiar Superman smile. "Why, thank you, Miss Lane," he said, slipping into his Superman tone.

"Great job with the suit, Bruce," I said after kissing Clark on the cheek. "I approve."

Bruce raised an eyebrow but held a smirk of his own. "I had to stop Alfred from getting you something custom designed, Clark. He wanted your measurements done professionally but after a lot of persuasion and promised vacation time to Sicily for a week, he settled with a suit from the mall."

Clark laughed but looked relieved. "Thanks. If people in the office saw me wearing custom they'd ask more questions than I want to deal with."

The others had changed while Clark had been performing for me. Each one of them looked good and even though I found it odd to see them out in the open, it was nice to see the other side of all the heroes.

"Does everyone have their ear pieces in?" Bruce asked. After double checking, everyone nodded in affirmative. "Good. We should be reaching Gotham in a few minutes."

The decrypt city came into view, growing larger and larger, the darkened skyscrapers reaching for the sky as if hoping to join the clouds above. Bruce guided the plane past several large buildings while eyeing the streets below.

"It doesn't look different," Clark put in.

"The world could be ending and Gotham would still look the same," Bruce muttered.

Nobody commented because we all knew he was right. Gotham was one of the most corrupt cities in America. It needed more tune ups than a middle school band. Batman was the only thing that sparked a small ray of hope in the hearts of the people. He really was the best thing that had happened to the city.

Bruce flew the ship past Wayne Manor to a large cliff in the distance. Cutting through the air in a large u shape, he maneuvered the craft until it was speeding towards a large waterfall. For a moment I thought we were going to crash but after soaring under the water, we entered a humongous cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Bruce lightened the speed until we slowed to a stop, descending onto a landing pad.

"So this is the Batcave," I muttered, looking around at all the fancy gadgets lining the walls.

"Careful, Lois," Bruce warned though his tone was light, "I wouldn't want the location slipping into the papers."

I grinned, "If I must."

Bruce went to the giant computer on the screen and pulled up a file he'd made while on the ship containing the location of each of the holes. He handed each of us a paper of the coordinates before shutting the system down.

"Why not just send the info to us through a text?" Barry questioned.

Bruce frowned. "This enemy is powerful enough to shut down all technological communications, Barry. That gives me reason to believe they have a way of monitoring everything and I'm not willing to risk jeopardizing our cover from a text message. We're going old school."

"What about your communicators? Wouldn't they be able to trace them?" Barry retorted.

Smirking, Bruce led us towards an elevator. "Not likely. While exposed to certain cultures in outer space I used my time wisely." Tapping his ear and looking rather smug he added, "Alien technology is fascinating."

Oliver's eyebrows rose. "You mean to tell me this is alien tech? How did you get it to work?"

Bruce shrugged. "It proved to be a little difficult but after a couple of setbacks, I figured out the basic system. This technology runs through solar power, though I have reason to believe it also works in water."

AC perked up. "Does it now?"

We slipped out of the elevators and stepped into Wayne Manor as Bruce continued, "Yes. I dropped it accidentally in the bathroom sink and it worked just fine afterwards."

"Bruce, when did you find time to get it?" Diana wondered.

Bruce grinned. "The Carnivalia security guards won't miss them."

"Bruce!" she chided.

He only laughed.

Clark looked like he wanted to argue but Bruce held up a hand. "Clark, before you go off on a tangent about stealing, I left money for them."

"It's not the same."

"Whatever," Bruce replied nonchalant, heading to a stand with scotch and a fine set of glasses. "I wonder where Alfred is."

"You don't seem too worried about him," J'onn observed.

"That old man could survive a nuclear war without a scratch," Bruce muttered, downing his liquor.

"Why thank you, sir," said a voice behind us.

We whirled around to find Alfred Pennyworth standing in the doorway with his right arm in a sling and a nice shiner purpling the left side of his face. Bruce set down his glass and rushed to Alfred's side. "What happened to you?" he demanded.

Alfred shrugged. "It's only a flesh wound, Master Bruce, nothing more."

"His right arm is broken and he has a couple of cracked ribs," Clark said after x-raying him.

Bruce scowled. "Only a flesh wound, Alfred?"

The butler merely shrugged. "It's not as bad as what I've seen when you've come home."

Bruce didn't smile. "Alfred, honestly, what happened?"

"Car accident, Master Wayne," he answered. "I wasn't prepared for the giant flying bug that landed on my windshield."

"Alfred, this is serious!"

"I am being perfectly serious, Master Wayne," he replied. Pulling out a remote, he turned on the television. A woman was in the middle of detailing her viewers on the latest bit on news.

"That's right, Joe," she said. "I'm here in downtown Metropolis which, as you can see, has been overrun with terror as these flying bugs continue to wreak havoc upon the citizens, destroying thousands of dollars worth in property."

As she spoke the camera showed the creatures that looked like giant humanoid flying bugs holding guns that shot lasers from the barrel attacking a school. "The source of their origin is unknown but many have speculated their arrival came from the West. These bugs have been spotted in several large cities for the past few days, destroying anything they deem a hindrance. The real question on everyone's lips is where is the Justice League?"

Alfred switched the television off. "I see that you were able to rescue Master Kent but in the process an unknown threat invaded Earth. Similar reports have come in over the world, each one starting since the time those strange fire pits began."

"Clark, where are you going?" Bruce demanded suddenly rounding on him.

I turned to see Clark halfway across the room. "We can't just sit here and do nothing! Those people need help!"

"If you go out there, whoever is behind this will know you've returned."

"So what? I can't just sit here and analyze the situation, Bruce. Something has to be done."

I latched on to Clark's arm before he could take off running. "Clark, Bruce is right."

"What?"

I sighed. "As much as I want to go out and save those people, we wouldn't be doing them any favors by revealing ourselves. In fact, we'd be putting more people in danger! As hard as this is, I need you to do things Bruce's way for once."

Clark looked torn. I could see how much he wanted to save those people but he had to face the reality that this time, it would be far greater to stick to the shadows than to burst into the open in a blur of red and blue. Looking forlorn, he sighed, "Alright, Lois. I'll restrain myself."

"Alright," said Bruce, "everyone head to your locations, stay out of the limelight, and keep your ear piece in no matter what. If you have to make a save, do it in a way that nobody will be able to track you."

Everyone nodded before heading for the exit. I took Clark's hand and he lifted it to his lips, kissing my knuckles fondly. We said goodbye to the other heroes before Clark took me into his arms.

"I thought Bruce said to stay on the down low," I said.

Clark smirked. "And we will. I'm reverting to the way I used to travel. I couldn't always fly you know. Hold on tight," he muttered, "things could get a little windy." He paused and then pulled his glasses from him face. "Hold onto these for me will you?"

I took them but before I could ask why, I slammed into his chest as he took off running so fast he broke the sound barrier. The colors were flying by so quickly that I closed my eyes from the nauseous feeling in my stomach. A minute later the whistling from the wind died in my ears. Clark's quiet laughter rumbled his chest.

"Lois, you can let go of me now."

"Geez Smallville! Was that your definition of running?" I gasped. He nodded. "I guess that explains why you never participated when the guys at the Planet invited you to play football with them, huh?"

Clark shrugged. "I could slow down if I wanted to but it takes the fun out of the game."

I tore my eyes away from him to look around. We were in one of the alleys of Metropolis. I raised an eyebrow. "This isn't Smallville."

Clark looked sheepish as he helped me regain my balance. Looking at the ground he muttered, "I wanted to see Jason."

I gave him an exasperated smile. "So do I but do we have time?"

Clark eagerly nodded, obviously wanting to justify putting the mission on hold. "It won't take too long to get to Smallville. We have the advantage because the others have to board planes to get to the other locations. We have a few hours to kill."

I bit my lip. "Clark…I want to see our son…"

"But…?"

"The world's in jeopardy," I muttered, gesturing around us. "Shouldn't we try to fix the problem as soon as possible?"

"That's the reason I want to go to where Jason is. It appears that my mother and Chloe brought him here and met up with Richard and Perry."

I paused. "But Richard went to London when we left."

"He's not there now. He's here. Which is why I want to see them all before we go to Smallville," Clark said. "We can find out from them what's going on. Besides knowing about the fires and the bug creatures running amuck, we don't have a lot of other information. And you can bet your bottom dollar that if anyone can tell us what the heck happened in our absence, it's Perry."

I studied my fiancé for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, we'll go. Where are they?"

Clark pointed across the street to a broken down three star hotel. Chunks of debris were littered in the road from what could only be an attack from those bug creatures. Several of the hotel's windows had been smashed, scattering bits of glass all over the sidewalk. People were rushing down the streets, anxious to get to their destinations. Nobody stopped to talk or even acknowledge another's existence. Life in the city usually had a level of distrust but this behavior was the normal times ten.

Clark grabbed my hand. "Stay close to me," he muttered.

We walked out of the alley and into the hotel where a single employee sat behind the counter with her nose buried in a fashion magazine. She peeked over the pages before slamming it down on the counter. Clark and I leapt back in surprise as we found ourselves staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Don't you dare try to say you're here to rob this hotel," she snapped, her voice trembling with fear. "I've been given orders to shoot the next person who tries to pull anything!"

Clark stood a little taller, walked forward, and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "We're not here to rob you," he said. His expression was so sincere the girl nearly dropped the gun in relief. "We're only here to see our friends. Will you please put the gun down?"

The girl complied as she shakily set the pistol on the counter. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "Ever since that hole showed up in Kansas and those bug things came through town everyone's acting desperate. We've had five raids in the last three days. My boss handed me the gun this morning. I don't even know how to shoot anyone but he said it was necessary since Superman apparently abandoned us again. We have to look out for ourselves."

Clark's jaw tightened over those words while his shoulders sagged in guilt. "Miss, I promise that everything will be alright."

She nodded though she didn't look convinced. "Who are you here to see?" she asked, trying to change the painful subject.

"Perry White," Clark answered.

"And your relation to him?"

"He's our employer," I said.

She dialed Perry's room number and after a couple rings, Perry picked up. "Hello, Mr. White? I have a couple down here who say they're here to see you….they said they were your employees…yes….yes….alright."

She hung up. "Here," she said, handing over a key card. "He's on the thirty second floor."

"Thank you," Clark said, taking the card.

We left her to her magazine and headed into the elevator. The second the doors were closed, I leaned against Clark, enjoying his warm embrace as we rose to the thirty second floor. The elevator doors opened and a little head of unruly brown hair smashed into us.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

"Jason!" I cried, latching onto my son. I held him tightly in my arms, stoking his hair, and kissing his forehead.

He reached over me after a moment of affection to hold onto Clark who scooped him into his arms and held him like a life preserver. Clark also kissed him a few times on the cheek. "I missed you, son," he muttered.

"I was scared, Daddy," Jason whispered, his little voice trembling in relief.

"Me too," Clark admitted.

"Superman get's scared?"

Clark chuckled weakly, "Occasionally."

Jason smiled and hugged him tighter. "I'm glad you're safe, Daddy."

"So am I," Clark whispered.

The three of us hugged each other like the rest of the world didn't exist until someone cleared their throat and I looked up to see Chloe standing in the hallway with a smile on her face holding hands with…_Richard?_

"Nice to see you got him back, Lois," Chloe said, eyeing Clark.

Clark disentangled himself from us to give his dear friend a hug. "Hey, Chloe."

"Clark, don't you dare disappear like that again!" Chloe whispered into his shoulder. "You nearly killed your mother she was so worried about you."

"Is she alright?" he asked.

"She's fine. She's in the hotel room with Perry just down the hall," Richard answered. "Jason heard you coming in the elevator and ran from the room before any of us could stop him. Chloe and I were chasing him when you two showed up."

I looked at Jason disapprovingly but he stared back with an innocent expression. "I checked to see if there was anybody in the hallway before coming out," he defended.

My eyebrows rose. "X-ray vision? Is that normal?" I asked, turning to Clark.

Clark shrugged. "It came and went a few times when I was a kid."

"Why are you guys staying in a hotel?" I asked as we moved down to Perry's room.

"Well, since those bug things flew through town, they destroyed half the city including Perry's house and my home on the river. We came to this hotel and found Jason here with your mother, Clark."

Chloe slid the key card into the door and we stepped inside. Martha rushed towards us and wrapped her arms around Clark the moment she saw him. "Oh, my boy," she whispered.

Clark held her until she wanted to let go. From the look on his face I could tell he felt guilty for leaving her again and making her worry. Martha looked up at him, examining his face. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You're paler than usual. Were you exposed to Kryptonite?"

"I was," Clark admitted reluctantly, "but that's not the main reason I'm not up to par, mom. The Preserver kept me in a cell with a red sun for a ceiling."

Martha looked mutinous. "How could he do something like that?!"

"What does a red sun do?" Perry asked as he wandered into the entry way where we were all gathered.

"It takes away my powers," Clark explained.

Alarmed, Perry looked Clark up and down. "Can you get them back?"

Clark smiled and nodded. "Exposure to the yellow sun is the cure. I just have to soak in its radiation. I guess it's like the recharger for my batteries."

"Thank goodness," Perry sighed. "You couldn't have picked a better time to be kidnapped, Clark. Those holes in the earth opened up after you disappeared and then those bug things started terrorizing the world. Do you have any idea why they're here or what they want?"

Clark shook his head. "We're not sure, Chief, but Lois has a theory."

"Why don't we all go into the living room before I share my thoughts," I suggested. Everyone shuffled in and after sitting comfortably on the couch next to Clark, I brought up my suspicions.

"So you believe that the person who started those fires hired the Preserver to get Clark and the Justice League out of the way?" Perry surmised.

I nodded. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

Chloe tapped her chin. "Yes but how can you be sure?"

"Call it reporter's intuition," I said with a shrug.

"Lois's assumptions are usually right on course," Clark muttered. "The League believes she's right. It's too much of a coincidence that after we leave the Earth goes up in flames."

"From Lois' suggestion do you think Darkseid hired the Preserver?" Martha asked.

Clark and I looked at the others who all had sour expressions.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had, Martha," Chloe muttered. "I also suspect those bug creatures are his too."

"Who's Darkseid?" Clark prompted.

"We don't know much about him," Chloe answered, "but we know he's the one in charge of the fire holes. He's an alien life form apparently bent on taking over the Earth."

"What else is new?" Clark asked rhetorically.

"His goal is to eliminate all free will from all intelligent life and reshape it into whatever fits his purposes," Richard elaborated. "And with all of you gone, the planet was defenseless. The militaries tried to stand up to him but after he fried several of the world's leaders with his Omega Beam, the countries stood down."

"Omega Beam?" Clark questioned.

"It's one of his powers," said Chloe. "It's kind of like your heat vision, Clark, except when fired, Darkseid can direct its course any which way he wants."

Clark's hands tightened into fists, his expression hard.

"Is there any way to counter it?" I wondered.

"So far we've got nothing," Perry growled. "We haven't really had the ability to study it out because every person who sees Darkseid doesn't come back. We only know of its existence because he makes his executions visible through live broadcast. It isn't pretty."

"Wait, executions?" Clark demanded, staring Perry down.

The editor swallowed and nodded, looking grave. "So far there have been three. It's a way he's decided to display authority over us."

"Do you know where he is?" Clark asked, standing up.

"Clark, sit down," Chloe ordered.

"I can't just sit here and chat when there's a possibility this madman is out there killing innocent people," he argued.

Chloe looked at Clark, unfazed. "I know you want to rush off and take Darkseid down but I don't think I need to remind you that attack first, think later is a pretty lame strategy."

Clark huffed and folded his arms. Did I detect a sense of frustration and embarrassment? I looked at Chloe with deeper interest. She'd known Clark for years and recognized what I had come to learn: in times of crisis, he tended to act irrationally.

Chloe slapped a photograph down on the counter as if the chastisement hadn't happened. "Here's a picture of him from the web."

Clark sat down and together we leaned forward to get a better look at the image. The man was standing with his hands behind his back, his shoulders broad, his eyes blood red; he looked like a body builder with a grudge. His skin was tinged a purplish gray. It reminded me of death itself. He stood four feet taller than the man next to him, a soldier in the army that appeared to be the victim of the Omega Beam since Darkseid's eyes were glowing.

"Great," Clark muttered. "Another bald psychopath except this one can obliterate people with some kind of special vision…just what we need."

"Sounds familiar," I sighed with dry humor.

"Why are all the bad guys bald?" Jason asked, looking up from his coloring book.

Despite the strained circumstances, all of us managed to laugh.

"So what are your plans of action?" Richard asked.

"The League is lying low," Clark explained. "We don't think our ship was picked up on Darkseid's radar and that gives us the element of surprise. Each of us split up to cover all the holes. Lois and I are going to be heading out to Smallville after this. Since I have to keep a low profile, we're going to run there."

Chloe grinned. "Just like old times then?"

Clark smiled. "Yep, just like old times."


	17. Undercover

17 Undercover

With a little more information in mind, Clark and I stood to take our leave.

Martha grabbed Clark's hand before he could make it to the door. "Wait, you're just going to run off and leave us behind?" she demanded, looking at her son pointedly.

Clark sighed. "Mom, I'm risking enough just by letting Lois come with me."

"Why can't I go?" Jason asked, setting his crayons down. "If Mommy gets to go, I should be able to go too."

I shook my head. "It's too dangerous."

"Then why are you going?" Richard demanded with his arms folded across his chest. "You don't even have superpowers, Lois. At least Jason could stand a chance if worst came to worst."

I opened my mouth to retort but Clark put a hand on my shoulder. "Lois, don't," he cautioned before explaining, "We can't travel in big groups, Richard, and Lois is coming with me because it's not worth it to put up a fight and make her stay. Even if I left her behind, she'd hop on a plane. Heck, she'd probably even steal yours."

"Darn right I would," I growled before rounding on Richard, "And don't you dare try to persuade me to stay behind, Richard. I refuse to have a repeat of the last five years."

Richard's open mouth closed and he swallowed his unspoken protest. Chloe took his hand and squeezed it. I raised my eyebrow at the gesture but she just shook her head and smiled as if to say "later". Perry looked like he wanted to throw in his two cents but the warning on my face kept him silent. Martha hadn't even objected; I think she wanted someone with Clark just as much as I did. Jason was the only one who protested.

"Mom, I wanna come!"

I looked at Clark. He got down on his knee and took Jason's shoulders. "Son, I may be Superman but even I can't be in two places at once. I know you want to come with us but I need you to stay here and watch over everyone in this room."

"Like I did when you left?" he muttered. "I didn't protect anyone, Daddy! Those bug things came and I…"

Jason looked down at his shoes, ashamed. Clark squeezed his shoulders. "Jason, I didn't expect you to stop those things from attacking the city. Your powers aren't fully developed yet. But you did manage to protect everyone here."

Jason looked around and smiled a little. "I did stop some rubble from falling on Grandma earlier," he admitted.

Clark smiled, his face filled with pride. "I'm glad you did, son. See what I mean? I need you here."

Jason looked at all the adults and then nodded. "Okay, Daddy, I'll stay. But you gotta promise to keep Mommy safe."

"I promise," Clark replied, hugging Jason.

Jason's little arms squeezed his neck. "And you have to promise to come home."

"We will, munchkin," I said. Jason ran to me after letting go of Clark. I bent down and picked up my little bundle of joy and rubbed the back of his head. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you too," he muttered.

"Stay here as much as possible," Clark said as he hugged his mother goodbye. "We'll be back soon."

"They evacuated everyone from the area Clark so be careful," Martha warned.

"I will be."

"Take care of yourself, Clark," Chloe said, kissing him on the cheek.

Perry approached us and put his hands on his hips. Welling up like a bullfrog, trying to keep the tenderness from his tone, he ordered, "Don't you dare get caught while snooping around! I need the scoop on those holes before anyone else, you hear me?"

Surprising everyone, including myself, I kissed Perry on the cheek. "You got it, Chief."

Blushing, Perry cleared his throat. "Well, get out of here! Both of you!"

Clark grinned before taking me into his arms. "You ready?"

I nodded.

Clark looked around at everyone, turned on his heel, and started to run. The gray tones of the city blurred into the whiteness of snow fall in a fairly open plane. Clark came to a stop and placed me on my feet. We were just on the outskirts of Smallville standing a mile away from the giant hole of fire rocketing its way towards the sky. Snow was falling everywhere, catching on my eyelashes, and collecting on the bare tree branches over our heads. I shivered, rubbing my arms. I was wearing a light sweater but this cold was nipping right through it.

Clark pulled me close and I relished in his warmth. "It's quite the sight, isn't it?" he muttered.

I looked back at the giant inferno and nodded. "So, what's the plan?"

"The plan," Clark muttered, "is to go into town and talk to your father."

"My father?"

"He's in Smallville along with a major portion of the US army," Clark muttered.

My eyebrows rose as I turned around to peer at the small town a few hundred feet away. "What on earth are they doing here?"

"Well, this is the location for the hole that appeared on the American Continent, Lois. This is the focus point of the threat. From what we know, those bug creatures originated from the hole. The best thing to do now is find out if the army has any plan of attack before we try to investigate that fire pit."

I pursed my lips. "Clark, a couple of Daily Planet reporters waltzing into the main army base isn't going to fly, even if my father's there. He can't reveal your secret! We'd be stashed to the side under government surveillance!"

Clark frowned. "What do you suggest, Lois? I can't risk revealing who I am, especially if it's true that Darkseid has been targeting me."

I tapped my chin and started pacing through the snow. "Maybe you can show up as Superman. No hear me out," I said because he scoffed. "What if we x-ed the three piece suit and glasses and instead gave you one of those Superman t-shirts with a casual jacket over the top? It would still be you but you'd be less noticeable."

Clark continued to look skeptical. "I don't know, Lois. Superman showing up in jeans? They'd never believe it was me."

"That's when you fry the wall with your heat vision. Come on, Clark! If they know you're Superman we'll have total clearance!"

"You mean _I'll_ have total clearance. They'll lock _you_ up in the deepest safe they possess."

"I'd break out even if they tried," I said stubbornly. "You're not leaving my sight again, Smallville."

Clark sighed in exasperation. "Lois, you can't come with me every time I need to rescue someone."

"This isn't a regular rescue, Clark! We're talking about some unknown alien life form that can shoot a beam from his eyes that obliterates people on contact! You don't even know if your invulnerability can stand up to that! It could be magic for all we know. I'm not willing to risk the chance of having someone return you to me as a super-puddle."

"And you think that I could stand it if Darkseid got hold of you?" he snapped. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to you, Lois."

"Clark! I'm coming with you no matter where you go!"

He shook his head. "No."

I stomped my foot. "If you're going to be like this then why did you take me with you at all?"

He looked away. "I was being irrational," he whispered.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, in case you didn't notice, Smallville, that's what happens when you love someone!"

"Exactly! I can't risk doing something irrational, Lois! There are billions of lives at stake over this. I need to figure out how to stop it and I can't afford to have you in the crossfire should anything happen to arise. I'd rather have you protected than vulnerable."

"Fine! I won't be by your side" – he began to relax – "but I'm joining the rest of the soldiers to fight if it comes to that."

"Lois!"

"My father trained me to be a soldier since I was born, Clark. He wanted a son more than life itself but instead he got me and Lucy. Since I was the firstborn he tried to raise me like a son but, no matter what, it couldn't be denied that I was a girl. I was labeled emotionally incompetent to be a soldier to him yet he taught me every fighting style in the books. And you should know better than anyone that I'm more than capable of holding my own."

"That may be true in the case of men, Lois, but these are different creatures we're talking about."

"Clark! Don't try to dissuade me, okay? You won't win."

We stared at each other stubbornly as the snow continued to collect on our shoulders and in our hair. I wasn't going to yield no matter what. I was a fighter and Clark knew it better than anyone. I could already see defeat in his eyes over my unconquerable spirit. I blinked once and he was gone in a rush of wind that stirred up the snow.

"Clark?" I questioned, voicing concern.

He reappeared a second later in a Superman tee shirt under a plain blue jacket of the same color. Dark jeans hung comfortably around his legs and a pair of red tennis shoes stood out against the snow. His trademark curl was on his forehead and his glasses were gone. He stood at his full height with his arms folded in the famous Superman stance. His frown, however, was deeper than usual. "I really hope this doesn't alert the enemy," he complained.

I grabbed his jacket and zipped it all the way up to his chin. "Now it just looks like you're modeling off a blue jacket," I teased, "unless you really want to show off the S."

Clark rolled his eyes and took my hand. "Come on, Miss Lane," he said in his deep timbre.

I pulled my hand free. At his questioning look, I explained, "The army can't know about us, Clark. If you're going in as Superman you have to act how Superman acts towards Lois Lane. I'm your press agent nothing more."

Clark didn't look pleased. "Does that mean I can't even hold your hand?"

I smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, yes."

"And I can't kiss you either?"

I shook my head.

"Hmmm, well we'd better make something clear."

Clark suddenly surprised me by grabbing my waist, pulling me into a deeply passionate kiss. My heart melted. I felt my feet leave the ground as Clark lifted me completely into his embrace, desperately trying to mend my body with his. He released my lips but kept me in his arms. I stared into his remarkable blue eyes and felt I could soar right into them.

"I'm going to miss you, Miss Lane," he whispered, putting his nose against mine.

I closed my eyes and let out a rattled breath. "I'm going to miss you too," I muttered.

We kissed again, this time in desperation. This was the ultimate test; to prove to everyone that Lois Lane and Superman were nothing more than friends. Though my father knew differently, we would have to fool everyone else in the army. The very thought was daunting; I'd almost rather try to take down a whole army of bug creatures.

"We should probably go," Clark whispered though he didn't move.

"Five more minutes," I begged.

Clark obliged. He backed us up against a tree, kissing me furiously though in complete tenderness. He broke away from my lips to leave a trail of hot kisses from my chin to my ear. I shivered and closed my eyes, my body melting in a pool of liquid passion. He teased me by lingering his lips near my earlobe. I gripped the tree trunk to stop my hands from ripping his shirt off.

"Keep it up Smallville and I'm going to seduce you," I gasped as he kissed my earlobe before sliding his nose across my cheek to rest it against my own.

"I just love listening to the sound of your heartbeat," he chuckled, his warm breath sending shivers of pleasure down my spine like running water.

"Two can play at that game," I retorted, smiling evilly.

Surprising him, I grabbed his shoulders, twisted him around, and slammed him against the tree trunk. I'm sure his shock was the only reason I was able to move him at all. Using his temporary surprise to my advantage, I locked my lips with his and began to explore with my hands. Unzipping his jacket, I traced the S symbol underneath without looking; I'd stared at it so much I knew exactly where it lay. After that, I ran my hands down his arms, causing his muscles to ripple beneath my touch. I smiled into his lips, kissing him even more furiously, while taking his hands and placing them on my hips.

He pulled me towards him, closing the distance. I chuckled into his mouth before grabbing his bottom lip with my teeth. I teased him this way for a moment more before pulling away. His breath came out in gasps, the white vapor from the cold temporarily obscuring his features. I kissed him one more time, deeply, before simply allowing my forehead to rest against his own.

Clark closed his eyes and let out a rattled breath. "You…really are playing with fire…"

I laughed. "You started it."

He laughed weakly. "I did and I don't regret a moment of it."

I smiled and allowed him to completely shield me from the snow. We stood silently for another minute or two simply listening to the distant crackling of the inferno a mile away while the wind whistled through the trees. It was oddly soothing in a way, like a strange combination of peace and chaos, the exact feelings of what we'd just expressed to each other without words.

"We should go," he whispered.

"Okay," I sighed.

He kissed me one more time. "I'm going to miss you," he said again.

I smiled. "We'll just have to find times when nobody is looking. Good thing you have abilities to make that happen cause there's no way I'm going to stay away from you for days on end."

Clark grinned, "Same here, Miss Lane." He zipped up his jacket and gestured for me to follow. "Come on."

We trudged through several inches of snow as we made our way towards town. Clark would occasionally warm the air with his heat vision so as to keep my teeth from chattering. More than anything I longed to be in his strong arms feeling his unique warmth but I had to refrain. We were still a ways away from Smallville but I couldn't risk exposing our true feelings to the army. That would be disastrous.

A lookout discovered us and soon an army jeep was rocketing though the snow to our position. It skidded to a halt causing slush to seep through my tennis shoes. I scowled. Clark lightly chuckled next to me from my discomfort.

"Shut it, Smallville," I whispered under my breath.

That only caused him to actually smile. The driver got out along with his companion while their comrades remained in the back. From the rank on their uniforms I determined that they were privates. We'd been picked up by a fireteam.

"This is a restricted area," the driver stated. "Get your hands in the air or we will shoot you." He and his companion held up their guns to prove it.

I rolled my eyes. "Let me handle this," I said because Clark had begun to reach for his jacket zipper.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

I smiled. "I grew up on an army base. I got this." Turning to the fireteam, I put my hands on my hips. "Stand down, soldier!" I ordered.

Surprised but more ticked off, he pulled the safety off his weapon. "Who are you to give me orders, lady?"

"Lois Lane," I responded, "and in the best interest of your welfare, solider, I'd suggest you let me and my friend through unless you want to answer to my father General Sam Lane."

The privates lowered their weapons from this revelation but after a split second raised them again. "What makes you think we'd believe you?"

I rolled my eyes and held out my hand. "Can I borrow a phone?"

The passenger side private reached into his pocket and handed over his cell. Dialing in the number I knew so well, I ignored the barrel of the driver's gun. Clark stood close, his eyes never leaving those of the privates. After two rings, the General picked up.

"Yes?"

"Hi, Daddy."

"Lois! I'm glad you're back but I'm in a meeting right now –"

"Daddy, I need you to tell this private to let me pass," I said, interrupting him.

"Wha –? Where are you, Lo?"

"Smallville," I said.

He let out a frustrated sigh. I could feel a lecture coming. "Daddy, someone is with me…someone who really needs to talk to you."

"Is it…_him?_" he asked, his voice suddenly eager, even hopeful.

"Yes, Daddy," I said.

"Give the private the phone."

Smirking, I handed the phone over to the private. His face paled as my father shouted orders as well as warnings into his ear. I couldn't help but feel the satisfaction; it was great to see a cocky man put into his place. After a moment, he hung up the phone and beckoned for us to enter the jeep.

"We apologize for the suspicion, Miss Lane," he said, suddenly humble.

_Brownnoser. _"Not a problem, private," I said sweetly.

Clark settled in next to me and we were on our way into town. I was grateful for the heat of the car as we plowed through the snow on Main Street. Clark's frown was deep as he looked out the window. Soldiers were everywhere, the usual small town was covered with military equipment and supplies, trash littered the streets, and the windows of the various small shops had been boarded up. Clark's childhood home had been ripped apart into an army encampment. More than anything I wanted to take his hand to comfort him in some way but there was nothing I could do. The fireteam was watching us with deep scrutiny, Clark in particular. It was obvious they wanted to ask questions but because of who I was they were terrified to do so.

We pulled up to a small café called the Talon. Clark nearly froze when he saw the sign. I raised an eyebrow but he shook his head as if to say _not now_. We marched passed the soldiers outside the doors; apparently our arrival was expected. Once inside, a captain guided us to the staircase, "This way, Miss Lane."

At the top of the stairs another set of soldiers stood guard. They wouldn't allow us to pass until they searched us. Clark stiffened as they probed us with their large hands. I had to stifle a laugh as his scowl deepened and his hands tightened into fists while the soldier slid his hands down my waist. I pretended to yawn as I whispered, "Relax, Clark. He's nothing compared to you anyway."

Clark rolled his eyes. Passing the inspection, we were guided to a room that turned out to be some kind of an apartment. I narrowed my eyes as I took in the queen sized bed with a lavender comforter, two large white lavender leaf patterned pillows, and a stuffed teddy bear. A large purple fuzzy rug sprawled across the wooden floor. A vanity, dresser, and floor length mirror were stationed near a door to a bathroom while a closet and several shelves lined the wall next to a large window that opened up to a balcony. Clark walked over to the next room – a kind of living room with a couch, large flat screen television, and a surround sound system.

"Why did they drop us off here?" I snapped in exasperation, throwing a large fuzzy lavender pillow off the couch.

"I wanted to say something earlier but that would have raised questions," Clark said, picking up the pillow to replace it next to him.

I rolled my eyes. "You heard what my dad said over the phone?"

He nodded. "Your father's at the high school. That's the military's main base. We were brought here to a more discrete location to wait until he can see us."

I leapt to my feet. "Like this can wait! Come on, Clark!"

He stood up and grabbed my hand. "Lois, calm down. Your father is already on his way. He should be here in a few minutes. The other commanding officers are coming with him."

"Why couldn't we just go to them?" I snapped.

Clark shrugged. "Your father ordered for them to bring us here." He looked around and sighed, his eyes suddenly glazing over.

"Clark?" I questioned. "What is it?"

He blinked and then looked at me. "Sorry," he muttered, rubbing his eyes, "this place holds a lot of memories for me."

"Really?" I asked, temporarily forgetting our current predicament.

Clark nodded. "This apartment used to belong to Lana and later, Chloe."

"Lana?"

"She was my high school crush."

"Oh." I was suddenly very interested in the pillow next to me. Picking it up, I fumbled with its fuzz for a while. "Did you ever…?" I couldn't finish my question nor could I look at him.

Clark put his arm around me and kissed my forehead. I stiffened. "Relax," he whispered, "nobody's watching. Lana and I did go out for a while but it crashed and burned after a few months."

My heart relaxed and instinctively I leaned into him. "Oh…I'm sorry…"

Clark laughed lightly. "Don't be, Lois."

"Why didn't it…work out?"

I felt so stupid for being so insecure and naïve. Of course he would have had other women in his life. I guess I just always thought I was the only one. I _wanted_ to be the only one. I suddenly realized there was still so much about Clark that I didn't know. I knew some things but when it came to his romantic life… well, I'd idiotically figured I had always been the only one.

Clark pulled away so that I could look into his eyes. Holding my hands in his, he looked at me tenderly. "Lois, you're the only one for me," he said and his voice was his _real _voice; the voice of Kal-El.

I shivered uncontrollable from the melody, getting lost in romantic fantasies. He squeezed my hand to regain my attention. I looked at him apologetically. He smiled.

"Lana and I fell apart because I couldn't bring myself to trust her," he revealed. "But you…every time I had to lie to you in the past, I felt like I was experiencing my own brand of torture. The best day of my life occurred when you showed up a few months ago to kiss me on the porch. I'll never forget that, Lois. You're the only woman in the world for me and you always will be. Remember, I'm forever yours and yours alone. No other woman will ever replace you. How could they?" He kissed me gently before adding, "No matter what, we'll always be Lois and Clark."

My heart was about to rocket out of my chest. I kissed him feverishly; I couldn't get enough of him. I slid into his lap, wrapping my arms around his strong neck, moving my fingers through his hair. He happily let me devour him for five blissfully uninterrupted minutes. The door clicked and in a rush of speed, I was sitting next to him. A little disoriented, I blinked a few times.

The General appeared in the doorway and his tense expression relaxed somewhat at finding us in a nonromantic situation. He looked at Clark and raised his eyebrows.

Clark stood up in full Superman persona. "It's good to meet you, General," he said, walking forward and shaking his hand. "Miss Lane has told me quite a bit about you."

Temporarily confused, the General opened his mouth but I cut him off; even though he'd met Clark before, we couldn't afford to let anyone know that since it might lead to trying to explain why Superman had joined us for Thanksgiving dinner.

"Sorry to take you away from your meeting, Daddy," I said. "But it was really important to meet with you as soon as possible."

"Is that really him?" someone asked behind the General.

I peeked over my dad's shoulder to see two other men. The one who had spoken was General Swanwick, a hardened warrior with rather profound lines on his forehead. The other was Colonel Hardy, a loyal man to his country and a soldier I'd met several times in the past.

Clark stepped forward and held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, General Swanwick."

He took the offered hand and seemed to be testing Clark's strength; their hands were clasped in a firm grip longer than usual. Clark didn't squeeze but his rock solid hand was a good indication to the General that he truly was the Man of Steel.

"Colonel Hardy," the colonel replied after General Swanwick stepped aside.

"I still need proof that this really is Superman," General Swanwick replied. "We can't afford any imposters."

I frowned. Why did military officers have to be so hardnosed? Clark unzipped his jacket, revealing the Superman logo underneath. Folding his arms in his standard pose, he allowed his feet to lift off the floor, hovering four feet in the air, his hair lightly brushing the ceiling. It was strange seeing Superman in a pair of jeans, a tee shirt, and a jacket but his commanding demeanor whitewashed the current wardrobe. He lowered himself and gave General Swanwick his famous look of silent scrutiny.

"Is that enough for you, General?" I mocked lightly.

He turned to me and glanced at my dad. "Yours?" he demanded.

The General nodded.

Swanwick frowned. "I can tell."

I scowled.

Clark cleared his throat. "I apologize for my secrecy but due to the current circumstances I found it necessary."

"Where have you been?" Swanwick demanded.

"My colleagues and I had to leave the Earth on a mission to stop the intergalactic threats that have been taking place for the last three months," Clark answered.

"You mean all the aliens that have been sighted all over the world?" General Lane inquired.

Clark nodded.

"Did you solve the problem?" asked Colonel Hardy.

"Yes. We barely returned earlier this morning after being gone for five days. We hadn't anticipated another alien threat would attack the Earth while we were already dealing with one. But, instead of throwing further accusations, sir, we should focus on trying to devote our efforts to the matter at hand. The Justice League has returned and each of us wants the same thing you do. If there is anything you know about this threat, it's imperative we have a discussion without delay."

"Where is the rest of the League?" my father asked.

"After learning that there are seven holes around the globe, we split to cover each location."

The generals and colonel seemed surprised. "Do you have a means of communicating with them?" asked Colonel Hardy.

"Yes. We were going to band together once gathering information from each of the holes locations."

"Why did she come with you?" Swanwick asked, indicating his chin in my direction.

Clark smirked. "General, she's Lois Lane. If she even gets a sniff as to where I may be, she finds a way to be by my side. That's usually what happens when you have a personal press agent. She also helped me get into the base without disclosing my identity."

"Why are you hiding?" the General asked.

Clark looked at my dad. "Because this was a threat the League didn't know anything about we decided to keep the element of surprise. Blending in with the rest of humanity makes it easier to snoop around."

"Any element of surprise would be helpful," my dad admitted looking at his watch. "We have an hour before dinner."

"Then let's use it wisely," Clark said, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

I joined him while the generals and Colonel Hardy disappeared for a moment before returning with chairs from the café. My dad did most of the talking although General Swanwick and Colonel Hardy intervened with a few minor details.

As we listened, we learned the holes had appeared five days ago seemingly out of nowhere. One second there was nothing and the next fiery infernos erupted all over the world. The bug creatures didn't actually appear from the infernos themselves but portals located in the vicinity. They started terrorizing the people and blocking off the major cities using some kind of ray gun. If anyone tried to escape, they'd vaporize them before they even made it a mile out of town. At the first sign of resistance Darkseid appeared. Without so much as a greeting, he killed half the leaders of the United Nations with his Omega Beam. He warned those who had survived the blast to pass on the news that he had claimed the planet for his own before disappearing in a rush of fire, leaving nothing on the ground but a set of ashen footprints.

Clark and I shared a glance. Now we knew for certain that Darkseid had been targeting him. I swallowed hard. Clark turned to the others. "But why would he want to claim Earth for himself?"

"We weren't sure of his intentions until yesterday," my father replied.

"What happened yesterday?" I asked.

"He killed the President," General Swanwick answered gravely.

My mouth dropped open. "He did _what?!_"

My dad nodded, his expression just as solemn as General Swanwick's. "The President was in the middle of a speech about how America wasn't going to give in to Darkseid's threat. The maniac came out of nowhere -literally-, zapped the President with his Omega Beam, and gave another warning that any who tried to oppose him would perish just as the President had. He then tried to sooth us that his intentions were all for our good and that he was transforming the planet to be like his own, Apokolips. He said the process was cleansing the Earth from the abuse we humans had inflicted upon it. He also promised that if we would be his slaves, he'd watch over us and teach us how to properly care for the planet once it had finished its…uh…cleansing.

"He gave orders to his minions, those bug creatures, to gather us into large bodies to help obtain order; which is why this and so many other small towns have been evacuated. Darkseid is fine with people using the airports as long as they only travel from one large city to the next. Anyone caught trying to leave the cities gets x-ed by the bugs. The world leaders thought it better to comply than to defy so they urged us all to do as we were told. Unfortunately there have been many casualties because people refuse to conform."

"If everyone has been rounded up, why is a good portion of the army located in Smallville, Kansas?" Clark asked.

General Swanwick smirked. "We're the part of the army that defied the orders to congregate; we won't even tell you how many soldiers we've lost trying to gather here. The rest are protecting what's left of the nation's leaders, including the Vice President, out in D.C. Of course, we have the Vice President's full support in rebelling – although he had to make it look like he released us as a lost cause."

"We're the resistance," my dad said. "We've gathered here in small groups the past three days because this is where the portal opens to Apokolips. We plan on sending a small group of men into the portal to destroy Darkseid."

Clark frowned. "And just what do you plan on using to defeat him?"

"A nuke," Colonel Hardy answered. "It's the most powerful weapon we've got."

Clark tapped his chin. "We don't know that much about Darkseid except that he's from another world and has some kind of special vision that kills people on contact."

"What do you suggest?" General Swanwick snapped. "People have already died, Superman! We can't just sit here and do nothing!"

Clark threw his attitude right back in his face. "I understand that General but rushing head on into something you don't understand is frankly the most asinine thing you could possibly do. You don't even know if humans can survive on Apokolips. Did it even occur to you that the atmosphere might be poisonous? And before you comment about how Darkseid is changing the Earth into a similar atmosphere for us to live in, I don't believe it. He doesn't seem the type who cares about life seeing as he killed more than fifty known people – all leaders of the human race – in less than a week!"

"What do you think he's trying to do then?" Colonel Hardy asked.

Superman looked thoughtful. "I'm not entirely sure, Colonel, but I think I might be the best bet we have at finding out."

I felt like someone dumped a bucket of cold water down my spine. "Superman, what are you implying?" I demanded.

He looked at me and tried to hide his true emotions from the men seated across from us. "Miss Lane, we both know that the strange fires with the mysterious footprints were all at locations tied to me. Darkseid wanted me out of the way. I'm almost positive he was the one truly behind all those intergalactic threats that have been plaguing the Earth for the past three months. When an enemy sees a threat, they remove it. Darkseid probably wouldn't have been able to accomplish as much as he has if I and the rest of the League were here to stop him. By getting us out of the way, he had free reign to do as he pleased. Knowing that I'm a threat means I have a greater likelihood of conversing with him. If I can get him to talk I can get the information concerning his true intentions and then we can formulate a plan."

"Just how would you get that information back to us?" I demanded. "You don't know if your invulnerability will stop his Omega Beam, Superman. I'm not willing to let you sacrifice your life! We need you."

Superman smiled. "I appreciate the concern, Miss Lane. I agree that I don't know if I could survive the Omega Beams effects. Honestly I need to see them in action."

"And just how are we going to get Darkseid to show up and give us a sample without threatening anyone?" General Swanwick snapped.

Clark smiled. "Let me call in the rest of the League. One of us has an idea."

I furrowed my brow. "What –?"

Clark tapped his ear. "They've been listening."

The generals and colonel appeared furious that this conversation wasn't private.

"Darkseid has control over all technological communications!" General Swanwick raged. "How do you know he hasn't been listening?!"

Clark calmed him by saying, "Sir, the Justice League has its own independent satellite which works from absorbing the sun's energy. Oh, and it's invisible so Darkseid wouldn't have been able to locate it with the rest of the satellites if he were looking."

General Swanwick breathed deeply through his nose. "You realize that anything in space should be authorized by the government before being put into use?"

Clark shrugged. "I'm not the one in charge of our technology resources, General. If you have issues with the way we run things take it up with Batman."

The general paused. "_Batman…he's_ the one?"

Clark smirked from the small fear in the general's eyes. "Yes."

The general grumbled incoherently but I caught a few words like "not willing" and "not worth the effort". I had to stop from laughing aloud; even four star generals were afraid of the Dark Knight. Strange… Bruce didn't scare me. I guess that was because I'd never been on the receiving end of his methods. Whatever the case, the news that Batman was in charge of the tech pretty much shut them up on the subject.

"When will they be here?" General Swanwick asked.

"Two days," Clark replied. "They have to travel undercover and it will be difficult reaching this point without getting caught but rest assured each one says they'll be here two days from now before sunset."

"What are we going to do for two days?" General Lane murmured.

Clark shrugged. "Keep a look out, I suppose. Have any bug creatures found that you're still here?"

Colonel Hardy shook his head. "They cleared out this area weeks ago. They don't bother to check places that have already been abandoned."

"You mean to tell me they haven't noticed any activity?" I asked, skeptical.

General Lane grinned. "We have our hiding places, Lo. As it turns out, the bugs don't know about tornado shelters. When we see them coming, we all rush underground."

"That's why the high school is your headquarters," Clark realized. "There's a huge tornado shelter built under the school gym," he said from my questioning look.

"How do you know that?" Colonel Hardy wondered.

Clark pointed at his eyes. "X-ray vision," he responded simply.

The lie was so smooth anyone who didn't know Superman's home turf was Smallville would have believed it. It took a good deal of self control to stop the scoff on the tip of my tongue.

"Well, if we have to wait for them for two days and you have to remain undercover, I think we need to find you a different uniform," my dad said, standing up.

Clark furrowed his brow. "Sir?"

The General started to pace. "If there was the chance that Darkseid showed up, you'd need to blend in with the rest of the soldiers but remain separated from them. Hmmm…" He paused, spun around to pace another length and then slammed his fist into his palm. "I got it! Everyone knows that my daughter arrived on this base – those idiot privates will spout forth any kind of news for attention – so we'll have you be her bodyguard since I'm an overprotective father."

Clark's mouth dropped open slightly. "Um…will anyone buy that, sir?"

I rolled my eyes. "Trust me, Superman, when it comes to me being on an army base, my father will throw a grenade at any male who dares to even look at me. This will work."

Clark looked at the General who nodded in all seriousness that a grenade would definitely be involved in such a situation. "Alright," Clark muttered. "What did you have in mind for a disguise, General?"

My father allowed himself a small smirk before turning for the exit. "I'll have it brought over in five. After you both change, you'll be escorted to the high school. We're having steak tonight."

General Swanwick and Colonel Hardy stood to follow after my dad. The door shut with a snap and Clark looked at me. "Lois, what kind of a disguise does he have in mind?"

I smiled widely, hoping that my dad was thinking exactly what I was imagining. If he were, I'd be one of the happiest people in Smallville. Five minutes later, my imaginations were put into reality as a soldier arrived at the door with a couple of boxes and two bags filled with army clothes. I tossed the male clothes to Clark who, after examining the contents, looked up at me with raised eyebrows.

"He wants me to wear this?" he asked, shocked.

I grinned. "What's the matter, Clark? Have a problem with wearing a uniform?"

Giggling happily, I waltzed passed him into the bathroom to change into my own army clothes complete with combat boots. My dad was kind enough to allow me to wear green cargo pants – I hated those army skirts they had available for women; they just weren't my style. He'd also made sure to give me a thick green jacket over a white tee shirt. I dressed quickly, tying my hair up in a ponytail and checking my face in the mirror before marching out of the bathroom.

The sight that met my eyes nearly caused me to melt into a puddle. I loved a man in uniform – guilty as charged – but seeing Clark in an army uniform was darn right sexy! I still preferred his suit but this look was rather fine in its own right. A white sleeveless shirt exposed his spectacular muscles, the bottom tucking into a pair of cargo camouflage print pants held up by a green belt with a silver buckle. Like me, he'd tucked the cargo pants into his combat boots. From his awkward stance I could tell that he was clearly uncomfortable. He folded his arms and rubbed them with his hands, the exposure of naked skin clearly bothering him. His eyes, however, roamed over me.

"What do you think?" I asked, spinning around.

He shrugged but held a pleased expression. "You look like an army brat," he teased.

"I'll take that as a compliment," I said, while allowing my eyes to soak in those biceps of his.

"Lois," he mumbled, exasperated.

I laughed and shrugged. "You can't blame me, Clark. It's not every day I get to see all of your arms."

He frowned, blushing. "This isn't my usual fashion choice."

I walked up to him and looked around to make sure we were really alone. Finding no one in sight, I placed a hand on his face and kissed him. "I know you might not like it but here you'll blend in."

"Not that it bothers me but, Lois, it's the middle of winter," Clark argued, pointing out the window where the snow was still falling. "People don't walk around wearing tank tops this time of year!"

"Trust me, Clark, when you walk into that high school you'll see plenty of bare arms. Body heat from so many people causes the layers to come off."

"I'd rather wear something with sleeves," he complained. "Why would your father have me wear this?"

"Clark, the more muscle, the more intimidation. Do you think any soldier is going to try to touch me if they see those biceps? You look like you can rip apart steel…well, you can…but they don't know that! Body guards are supposed to look intimidating."

Clark frowned as I continued to eye him. "This isn't going to work."

"Huh? Why not?!"

"For one, I'm not comfortable, which means I'm going to be more prone to act like Clark Kent from the office instead of everyone's beloved superhero. For another, you're going to blow our relationship because you can't take your eyes off me."

I blushed scarlet and licked my lips. "That's not true," I muttered. He looked at me skeptically. "Alright, fine, you're right…but I really do love you in a tank top."

Clark rolled his eyes but he was grinning. He wrapped me in his bare arms; so much free skin against me was intoxicating. Bringing his lips to my ear, he whispered, "If you like this, wait until our wedding night."

"Clark!" I gasped, my heart skyrocketing into my throat. Rather seductive thoughts were happily dancing through my head. That bed was right behind us…one shove and we'd…NO! I shook my head. "Clark! You can't say stuff like that!" I snapped.

He laughed before pulling away from my ear to kiss me lightly on the lips. "You tempt me, I tempt you, Miss Lane."

"What are you talking about? I didn't tempt you. You're tempting me!"

"It's kind of hard to resist the woman you love when she's staring at you so intently, Lois," he laughed. He removed his arms and I looked at him in disappointment. That only made him grin further. "It's worth the wait," he said, tormenting me.

"If Darkseid wasn't threatening to destroy the planet I'd make you fly us to Vegas tonight," I snapped.

Clark grinned. "If circumstances were different I probably wouldn't resist the order either, Miss Lane. Now, do you think there's a shirt with sleeves around here?"

I snorted before walking to the door. A solider stood on the other side. I prayed he hadn't heard anything but from the look on his face he seemed surprised to find me addressing him. "Do you have a short sleeved white shirt? Um" – I looked over my shoulder at Clark's broad build – "in an extra large size?"

"Sure, Miss Lane," he said, disappearing. He returned two minutes later.

"Thanks," I said, taking the shirt and shutting the door in his face.

I tossed the shirt to Clark who immediately set to work yanking the tank top off. I think I started to drool. Holy cowzola! The man before me was nearly too handsome for my eyes to handle. He put all of Michelangelo's works of art to shame. My eyes roamed hungrily over his perfect six set abs, his beautiful chest, his broad shoulders, and his large biceps and triceps. As he moved, each muscle rippled. His usual skin tight suit I once thought left nothing to the imagination was now clearly a piece of clothing; seeing his bare skin was testimony enough to that. I swallowed painfully, my thoughts going down a rather arousing path.

Clark caught me staring and I blushed so deeply I would have fit in perfectly with fully ripe cherries on a cherry tree. I couldn't bring myself to look away though. His physique had captured me, sending every rational thought out the window. Before I could rush into his arms and yank him onto the bed behind him, he pulled the white sleeved shirt over his body and covered my eye candy. I frowned. He laughed.

"Relax, Lois," he teased, "it won't be the last time."

I looked over the tee shirt that still hugged tightly at his muscles but wasn't as impressive or as desirable as the real deal. "I guess I'll just have to settle for the tight shirt for now," I sniffed.

Clark grinned. "Well, you have to have something to look forward to."

I blushed even further. "Clark, keep it up and I'll forsake everything and kiss you every spare moment I get."

He chuckled, walked over, and kissed my forehead. "Yes, Miss Lane."

"Gosh, that's so hot," I muttered, my eyes closed, savoring his closeness.

I opened my lashes to find him standing just inches away from me. "Do you approve of the shirt then?"

I smiled. "It's…acceptable."

He pulled away, pleased. "Then, shall we, Miss Lane?" he asked, holding his arm out towards the door.

I smirked. "Sure but make sure to at least wear a jacket as we head over to the high school. We don't want anyone getting too suspicious."

"Of course, Miss Lane," he said, pulling the green camo jacket over his shoulders. "We wouldn't want that at all."

**Reviews are love! :)**


	18. Darkseid

**AN: Happy (late) Halloween for all those who celebrate! So, SURPRISE! I'm uploading this chapter a few hours before the usual update schedule because I don't know when or if I'll be able to get to a computer tomorrow. Aren't you all lucky? The next update will be this Friday though - going back to the usual scheduled updating time - so I hope you can endure the suspense with what happens to our favorite Kryptonian at the end of this chapter until then! Please tell me what you think of my portrayal of the villain, the heroes, Lois, etc. I love feedback! It's virtual food for my virtual soul! :)**

**Now, let the turmoil begin! Muhaha! Enjoy! :D**

18: Darkseid

The first opportunity for Clark to prove that I wasn't to be touched arrived the next day. It was just past lunch time and Clark had left me to get in contact with the Justice League for a status report. He had gone to the roof of the Talon since nobody bothered to come near the café. Instead of doing as told, I'd decided to leave the café and go for a walk.

Bundled up in a bright red pea coat, I strolled down the street in my black knee length boots, looking at the town of Smallville, trying to imagine it without the military touchups. I looked at the small convenience store where several rocking chairs and a porch swing were settled outside under its slanted overhang. Christmas lights were strung across the pillars and on the swing. I suddenly felt a pang at the realization that Christmas was three days away. Who would have thought that the holiday would have been interrupted by a potential doomsday threat?

I walked over to the porch swing and sat down, closing my eyes and thinking about better times. Of course my thoughts strayed to Jason and Clark. I wondered how my little boy was doing. I talked to him last night before he went to bed. He seemed okay but also incredibly bored. I couldn't blame him; little kids did not do well with being in confined spaces. Those coloring books of his could only entertain him for so long. He'd asked me if Clark and I would be home for Christmas. I had to admit I lied through my teeth; I wasn't even sure if there would be a Christmas this year with everything going on. Something told me Darkseid didn't care about holidays.

I was silently musing over these thoughts when a strong pair of hands ran their fingers through my long dark hair. I stiffened; even if it were Clark, he wouldn't do such a thing out in the open on a temporary army base and those hands definitely didn't belong to my fiancé. I opened my eyes and flipped around to face my intruder. He wasn't alone. There were four more men behind him, all of them staring at me in a very unfriendly way.

"That wasn't a smart move, soldier," I said, coming to my feet.

The one who'd touched me laughed through a set of yellowed teeth. His eyes were bloodshot, his blond hair was dirty from lack of a shower, and he smelt like he'd had one too many shots from the bar. His comrades were in a similar condition.

"I always wanted to see how a general's daughter would fair behind closed doors," the blond slurred.

His companions laughed stupidly behind him as he advanced. I stepped out into the snow poised for a fight. The blond leapt forward. I pulled back my wrist and punched him in the jaw. It disoriented him and he stumbled a little to the left. His friends didn't bother to check on him. Instead they all came at me at once. I punched, kicked, and prodded but it was one against four. They'd grabbed both my wrists and yanked them forcefully behind my back. I cried out in pain. And then, there was a rush of wind.

Three of the four men crumbled before they'd even known what hit them. The blond I'd punched stood up. His still standing companion was staring at my rescuer with a mix of confusion and terror. I looked up to see Clark floating in the air, his arms folded, his expression deadly. He was still wearing the army outfit but that didn't stop him from looking like he wanted to tear my attackers' limb from limb.

"I would suggest that you step away from Miss Lane," he said in his commanding tone. "If not I'm afraid I'll remove you by force."

"Y-You're S-Superman?!" the blond exclaimed.

Clark allowed a small smirk to touch his warning expression. He lowered himself to the ground and walked towards us. The men leapt back in surprise but Clark ignored them. Taking my wrists, he examined them. "You should be fine, Miss Lane. I'm sorry I had to leave your side for a moment."

He let go of me at once and I had to hide the disappointment as I shrugged. "You only left to make a phone call, Superman. Not even I was anticipating to be accosted on a porch swing in the middle of an army base."

Clark frowned and turned to the soldiers. "I'm going to report this so don't think about sneaking off."

A group of soldiers appeared around the corner but froze from the scene before them. Rushing forward, they demanded to know what happened to the soldiers who were unconscious in the snow. Clark handled the situation by explaining the threat to my safety and his involvement in stopping it from occurring.

"Who is your commanding officer, soldier?" one of them asked, eyeing Clark a little apprehensively.

Clark smirked. "I don't have one, sir."

The soldier's eyebrows rose. "Are you trying to be cocky, private?"

Clark folded his arms and stood at his full height. "I'm not a private, lieutenant."

The blond tugged on the lieutenant's jacket sleeve. "_WHAT_, private?!"

"That's Superman," the blond gasped.

"Come again?"

"He's Superman!"

All the soldiers turned to look at us. Clark decided to ignore them all. He turned to me. "Miss Lane, I thought I told you to stay inside."

I rolled my eyes. "I was bored. Besides, I can't get any stories if I'm cooped up in a café."

"And just what stories were you planning on finding sitting on a porch swing?" he asked, smirking.

Darn. "I was trying to take in the scene, Superman."

"You could have waited until I was off the phone."

"Well, you're off the phone now so let's go."

The speechless soldiers parted as we walked passed ignoring them completely. Clark waited until we were out of earshot before ending the complete tough guy act. "Lois, only you can find trouble in an army base."

I smirked. "Why, Superman, were you jealous?"

Clark snorted. "Of that drunken excuse of a soldier? Heavens no."

I sobered the mood with a sigh. "I guess everyone knows who you are now."

Clark shrugged. "It doesn't matter much if the army knows I'm here, Lois."

"Why do you think my father had you take a disguise? We might as well ditch the army uniform now."

"Lois, relax. The uniform is a precaution if Darkseid's minions show up. Your father never said that it was supposed to stop the other soldiers from knowing who I really am."

I pursed my lips. "I still don't like it."

Clark chuckled lightly. "You just like keeping the secret all to yourself."

I stuck my tongue out at him.

888

The next day Clark and I found ourselves sitting outside the convenient store again except this time there were twenty or so soldiers surrounding us; they were all on their break and wanted nothing more than to chat with the Man of Steel and his famous press agent.

Clark was in the middle of recounting one of his run ins with Luthor when a crow distracted him. The crow circled above us a couple times before swooping down, transforming into Martian Manhunter. The soldiers all gasped in surprise as the Martian straightened and walked up to Clark like it was completely normal for a crow to turn into an alien.

"I had to circle twice in order to make sure it was really you," Martian Manhunter said as he shook Clark's hand. "I've never seen you as a soldier, Superman."

Clark grinned. "It's good to see you, J'onn. The outfit was another cover up."

"I see." Martian Manhunter looked at the soldiers around us and then transformed into a human in a similar soldiers outfit. "I think it would be best if I blended in as well."

"How are you doing J'onn?" I asked, waving.

"Miss Lane, I didn't know you were here."

I smiled. "You know the drill, J'onn. Wherever Superman goes, I go."

"And I assume that's the same for the Justice League?" J'onn asked.

I nodded. "I don't see why it would be any different."

Superman sighed. "You know, most accidents happen to tailgaters."

"Lucky for you I'm not in a car," I retorted in good humor.

We were interrupted when the ground beneath our feet burst open as water shot into the sky through the snow. Spinning in a circle clad in the same outfit we last saw him in, was Aquaman. He waved his hand and the water sucked back into the earth along with a little snow. "Would you mind resealing the pipe, Superman?" he asked, running his hands through his wet hair.

Clark rolled his eyes, stepped up to the hole in the ground and used his heat vision to fix the pipe. "You traveled here through the pipes? That must have been an unpleasant trip."

"No comment," Aquaman said as he looked around at the surprised soldiers. "Who else is here?"

"Hello Aquaman," J'onn said.

"J'onn," he said with a nod.

"The others should be arriving soon," Clark said.

"Oh, I know! How about we have hot chocolate while we wait?" I suggested.

"What is that?" Aquaman asked.

J'onn shrugged.

"I think that's a great idea," Clark said and in a burst of wind, he returned with a bag of plastic cups and a steaming pot of hot chocolate.

Soon everyone had a cup in their hands. Aquaman frowned. "It's brown," he muttered.

"Are you sure this is edible?" J'onn asked.

Clark burst out laughing. "It's liquid chocolate."

Aquaman continued to look bemused but J'onn looked into his cup with renewed interest. "Really?" he asked. He took a sip. Aquaman waited. "It's good."

The king of Atlantis frowned but decided to taste the liquid for himself. "It's passable," he said from our questioning looks.

I smirked. We waited another hour out in the cold. The soldiers came and went but there was a consistent group around us, no doubt eager to see the heroes and await future arrivals. Green Lantern and Green Arrow showed up together a couple of hours later. They looked liked they'd run into a little trouble from the scratches on their arms but other than that they arrived in good spirits. They were both wearing bright green jackets and masks with black pants.

"We had to dodge a few bugs when we left the airport but after ditching the car we threw them off the trail," Green Arrow said, taking a cup of hot chocolate after Clark had reheated it with his eyes.

"I wonder what's keeping the others," I said, looking at the entrance to the town.

"I admit I thought Flash would be the first to show up," Clark muttered. "I wonder what's keeping him."

"Knowing him, he'll make an entrance," Aquaman muttered, lifting his fourth cup of hot chocolate to his mouth. The words had just barely left his lips when his cup disappeared from his hands. "What the–?!"

"Thanks for the cup, Aquaman," Flash said, leaning against a doorframe. He was wearing jeans, a yellow shirt, and a bright red jacket. His blonde hair was covered by his hoodie and a white mask hid his eyes.

"Flash! That was mine!" Aquaman snapped.

Flash shrugged while the rest of us laughed. "Nice to see the gang gathered together. Who's missing still?"

"Wonder Woman and Batman," Clark said.

"Maybe they got…distracted," Green Arrow joked.

A rope wrapped around Green Arrow's angle and yanked him off his feet into the snow. We all looked up to see Wonder Woman standing on the roof of the convenient store. She wore blue jeans, red knee length boots, a yellow shirt, and a red pea coat. Leaping from the building, she landed perfectly in the snow before coiling up her rope which she hooked to her belt.

"Sorry, Arrow, what were you saying?" she said, her voice filled with warning.

Green Arrow spit out snow and rubbed his face. "Good to see you too, Wonder Woman."

She smiled. "Sorry it took a while." She looked at the sky. "It looks like I made it just in time."

We all followed her gaze; the clouds had turned deep shades of orange and red. Batman still hadn't shown up. After a few more minutes we were joined by General Swanwick, my father, and Colonel Hardy. Introductions were made and the waiting continued. The sun completely disappeared, allowing darkness to descend.

"I wonder where Bats could have got to," Flash muttered.

"Maybe if you opened your eyes you'd see for yourself, Flash," a voice said behind us.

I whirled around to find a man sitting in the convenient store window sipping a cup of hot chocolate. He wore a black trench coat, black gloves, a black shirt, black leather pants, and black boots. A black mask covered his eyes. His dark hair was slightly windswept.

"Nice of you to join us, Batman," Wonder Woman said, clearly pleased with his appearance.

Batman got down from the windowsill and put his hands in his pockets. "Sorry I'm late. I was bringing a friend."

We were just about to ask when a man stepped out of the shadows, exposing a pair of bright yellow boots. He wore a blue outfit, yellow briefs, yellow cape, and a golden helmet that completely covered his face.

"Dr. Fate," Clark exclaimed in surprised.

"You know this guy?" I asked.

"It is nice to see you again, Superman," he said, shaking his hand. "Your fate is looking well I see."

"Excuse me, but, how do you know him?" I wondered.

"Dr. Fate has helped me out on several occasions," Clark answered. "The most recent was when he signed a document." Clark winked at me.

My eyebrows rose and I stared at Dr. Fate in a renewed light. Could he really be the chairman for Earth on the Intergalactic Council? I decided to get more information from him in a more private setting.

"Not that I mean to be rude but why did you bring him along, Bats?" Green Arrow asked.

Batman looked back and forth before growling in a low voice, "Not here…too many ears."

"We can go back to the Talon," I suggested, pointing to the café.

Batman's eyes narrowed and he turned to General Swanwick. "Evacuate the area from all your soldiers then I'll consider the café."

General Swanwick did not seem too pleased about someone else giving him orders but he complied. The premises were reluctantly vacated within ten minutes. Batman stepped out into the open and looked around doing a full circle before turning to Clark who shook his head, somehow silently understanding his unspoken request; probably making sure the area really was secure. Batman nodded. "Alright, let's go inside."

All of us trudged through the five inches of snow into the Talon. Clark surprised everyone by going behind the counter and fixing up the coffee and hot chocolate machines. "What?" he probed from all the curious stares.

Nobody dared voice how strange it was for Superman to be operating these machines like a pro so we all shook our heads and watched as he expertly poured coffee and hot chocolate into the available mugs, placing them all on a tray and serving our large group like a waiter.

"I guess this is a hidden hobby, Superman?" I asked.

He grinned. "You could say that Miss Lane."

"You realize this is going to have to turn into an article," I warned, grinning, "Superman's hobbies revealed! It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Clark had his trademark Superman smirk as he sat down and sipped a cup of coffee without having to wait for it to cool. "Write what you like, Miss Lane. I'm sure the public could use an entertainment piece after all the turmoil they've faced the past few days."

"Speaking of turmoil, can we return to the matter at hand?" General Swanwick asked, clearly exasperated.

I gritted my teeth. Though I knew he was right, his attitude really grated at my nerves. I hoped that after this I wouldn't have to deal with the man again.

Batman took the opportunity to start the meeting. "Our first order of business should be reporting on what we found at the holes. I'll go first. After securely traveling to China, I talked to several people who informed me that the hole had appeared five days ago and, along with it, portals to another dimension. Alien creatures that looked like giant bugs started to terrorize the village, destroying property, unleashing corralled animals, and using weapons to vaporize several citizens. One woman I spoke with noticed that in the chaos, the bugs were directing the people towards the main city. Any who dared flee in another direction were killed without mercy. All the villages in the surrounding area to the city have been abandoned. However, after perusing the area by stealth, I came across a pile of dead bodies."

"Excuse me?" Colonel Hardy gasped.

Batman frowned. "You heard me, Colonel, dead bodies. The pile was as tall and as wide as a landfill."

"Were they the victims from the attack?" Green Lantern asked.

"At first I thought so," said Batman, "but then I noticed in the dead of night the bugs would kidnap small groups of people and lead them through the portals. Hours would go by and in the morning the portals would open again and the bugs would throw the bodies into the pile I found."

"Were the bodies… disfigured in any way?" Clark asked hesitantly.

"No," Batman replied shaking his head. "There were no external injuries that I could decipher – nor were there any broken bones that I could assess."

Everyone was rather disturbed by this news. Silence reigned for several minutes. Clark threaded his fingers together and stared off into space. I looked around at the others, all who seemed deep in thought. After a while, Batman broke the silence to ask, "Did any of you come across this?"

After a moment's pause, Flash raised his hand. "I went to Africa. The hole's location was in Egypt. I saw what you saw Batman."

"Was it exactly the same?" he asked.

Flash nodded.

"There's nothing out by the hole located just north of here," Clark said. "I just looked," he explained further.

The others confessed that though the holes were there, they hadn't seen anything like what Batman had described.

"What do you think the purpose is behind this?" I asked, looking at Batman.

He shrugged. "I haven't the foggiest."

"We need to get through one of those portals," Clark muttered.

"How?" Aquaman questioned. "From what has been explained all who enter do not come back alive."

"It's a good thing we're superheroes then, isn't it?" Green Arrow said.

"Last time I checked you were still human, Arrow," Aquaman retorted.

"And you'll be any different from me going through that portal?" Green Arrow snapped. "If you hadn't noticed, the world is being turned into an atmosphere similar to Darkseid's and fire is the only thing I've seen trying to transform the Earth. Fire, Aquaman, not water! You'd dehydrate faster than any of us."

"Enough!" Wonder Woman snapped. "We don't have time to bicker. We need to formulate a plan."

"Getting into the portal is exactly why I requested for Dr. Fate to join us," Batman revealed.

"And what can _he_ do?" General Swanwick demanded.

The general's body language was evidence enough that he didn't approve of his current company. He'd been snapping at every hero he talked to. It didn't take a genius to figure out that we were in the presence of a hero hater. My scowl wasn't the only one directed at the general. Even Clark seemed annoyed and usually he was pretty good at keeping his cool when faced with adversity.

"Dr. Fate is a renowned sorcerer and is critical in ensuring the overall safety of entering into the portal," Batman growled in annoyance.

"Um, care to elaborate on that one, Bats?" Flash asked.

"It's simple, really," Dr. Fate explained, "Instead of jeopardizing actual soldiers and heroes, I can create images of those who will enter while connecting their minds to the image."

"Kind of like an artificial intelligence?" I suggested. "Where the mind is the person but the image isn't?"

"Yes, Miss Lane," Dr. Fate nodded.

"You can actually do that?" Green Lantern asked, impressed.

Dr. Fate nodded. "It is a large spell that will require much on my part but it will protect all of you from harm. If those who enter the portal find themselves in mortal peril I can pull their conscience away from the image securing their safety."

"And what if you don't pull them out in time? What then?" Was it any surprise that the naysayer was General Swanwick? I ground my teeth together.

Ever polite, however, Dr. Fate answered, "I will not allow that to happen, General. But if you personally feel uncomfortable with participating feel free to stay behind."

Ha! Take that stupid General Swanwick! I was unsuccessful at hiding my smirk. His manhood insulted and on the line, General Swanwick cleared his throat and stared down Dr. Fate angrily. "Who said anything about standing down, Dr. Fate? I was merely expressing my concern over what might happen should things go wrong."

Dr. Fate shrugged. "Nothing will if everyone participating concentrates on the task."

"When can we expect this plan to come into action?" my father wondered.

"As soon as you know who is going to enter and after we reach a portal location," Dr. Fate answered.

"How could we possibly know when a portal opens?" General Swanwick asked.

"I have my ways of tracking things, General," Batman replied. He pulled out a hand held device and frowned.

"Batman, what is it?" Clark asked, suddenly on edge.

"There's a portal open in Metropolis," Batman muttered.

My heart leapt into my throat. Abandoning the conversation, I rushed for the stairs. I heard someone call my name but I ignored them. I only had one thing on my mind: Jason. Reaching the apartment, I dived for my phone. I tried calling Perry twenty times only to get his answering machine. Clark had followed me upstairs and tried his mother's cell but to no avail. Not even Richard was answering his phone. Clark had used his microscopic vision as well as super hearing only to find empty results; he couldn't hear any of them. It was as if our loved ones had disappeared from off the face of the planet. I was near panicking. I collapsed into a chair and put my head in my hands. Clark pulled me into his lap. I latched onto him and cried. He held me like I was his personal life preserver.

"T-They took him, Clark!" I sobbed. "They took our son! They took our loved ones!" Clark rubbed my back but his hands were shaking. It darn near broke my heart. "We need to get to Metropolis. NOW."

I stood up, yanking Clark with me.

"Lois, we can't just go charging in," he said.

"It's Jason, Clark!"

"I know!" he gasped, his voice cracking. He looked petrified. "Lois, if I went barreling into Darkseid's lair looking for Jason he'd connect the dots! I've never even met the guy and he has a grudge against me! Can you imagine what he would do if he found out about Jason? About my mother? About you? I can't afford to put any of you in danger."

"Clark, everyone who goes into that portal comes back to Earth dead the next day! If we wait, we won't have a son to risk putting in danger!" My voice cracked.

Clark covered his face in his hands and sunk back into the couch cushions. "The portal's already closed, Lois; Bruce informed me of that as we were rushing up here to check our phones."

"Clark, there has to be something, _anything_, we could do," I gasped.

Before he even got a word out of his mouth, something slammed through the apartment window with a mighty explosion, blowing me off my feet. Clark's protective arms wrapped around me just before we went sailing through the wall, over the balcony, and down into the café below. A table snapped as Clark landed on top of it with me in his arms.

"What in the world?" I gasped as a bug creature appeared at the top of the balcony, its ray gun pointed right at us.

With me still in his arms, Clark rocketed for the door just as the laser connected with the table we'd just landed on, exploding it into powder. If we thought we were in trouble in the café, it was nothing compared to what was happening outside.

It was a full out war.

Soldiers were running _everywhere_, shooting at the bug creatures flying through the sky. Gun shots and laser sounds rattled my eardrums, mixing in with shouts of orders and – more frequently – cries of pain. A band of soldiers rushing past us erupted into a cloud of dust as ten bug men vaporized them before our very eyes.

"No!" Clark cried out in anguish.

The bug men turned their weapons on us. A giant green fist came out of nowhere, punching our attackers into a building on the opposite side of the street. Green Lantern floated into view still wearing his jacket and jeans. "Are you two alright?" he asked.

Before we could answer, Clark used his heat vision to melt the gun of a bug man who had been creeping up behind our rescuer. Green Lantern turned around and punched the bug man in the face before turning back to Clark. "Thanks," he gasped.

"What happened?" Clark demanded, pulling me to the side as a chunk of some building cascaded to the ground.

"We don't know," Lantern replied, creating a catapult and sending a giant green rock soaring into a small squadron of bug men. They exploded like bowling pins. "We were discussing how to get to Metropolis when the high school exploded. Didn't you hear the explosion?"

Clark shook his head before rocketing into the sky, kicking a bug man, sending him careening into five more bug men. "I was a little preoccupied at the moment," he responded.

Batman went soaring past in his black trench coat, throwing explosives and bat gadgets at his targets, missing none. I witnessed the other members of the Justice League a midst the soldiers; everyone was putting up a fight. A bug man landed in front of me. I glanced at Clark but he was dealing with ten bug men at once. My attacker held up his gun. I went into survival mode. Shoving my heel into his foot, he cried out in pain. Without hesitation, I grabbed the ray gun out of his hands, turned it on him, and shot the sucker right in the chest. He exploded into a pile of greenish ooze. Pieces landed on my shirt and I snarled in disgust.

"Sick!" I snapped, stepping away from the remains.

Now in possession of a weapon, I took all the skills I'd learned from firing guns and started shooting any bug men who were stupid enough to get in my frame of vision. I took down three more before Clark returned to my side. He eyed the weapon and opened his mouth but I sidestepped him and shot a bug man in the face. Clark turned around and saw the creature explode into similar green sludge like his fallen companion behind me.

"Lois!" he cried.

"What?" I snapped. "This is war, Clark! You may not be able to take life but I'm not invulnerable. This little beauty is my insurance."

He opened his mouth to retort but I ignored him to shoot down another bug man. Clark sighed. "Would it upset you if I stayed by your side despite your insurance?"

"Not at all, sweetheart," I replied as I obliterated two more bug men.

Clark was true to his word and stayed close. After an hour my aim was beginning to wane. The soldiers around me were showing their strain as well. The worst part of all of this was that the bug men didn't decrease in number whatsoever. Every time we felt we were making a dent, hundreds more would converge upon the small town that now resembled a demolition zone.

My father and General Swanwick could still be heard in the distance shouting orders for their men to regroup. Though he was shouting in the middle of a war zone it was fairly soothing to hear my father's voice. Though I'd never tell it to his face, I respected him for keeping such a level head in such turmoil. It was even more comforting to hear Clark's voice shouting out to the other League members when he heard more bug men on the way.

Where on earth were they coming from? I wondered, looking around. The air was so full of them I couldn't distinguish the source of their arrival. Clark materialized at my side and grabbed me just as a ray blast slightly melted the sidewalk I'd been standing on seconds before. "Thanks," I muttered.

"Lois, we're regrouping with the rest of the army," he said, grabbing me into his arms. He took off, dodging blasts and using his heat vision to clear a path when necessary. We touched down next to Green Arrow who shot an arrow that flew through seven bug men before exploding on the eighth, taking out twenty bug men in the vicinity.

Green ooze covered the ground, the remains mixed with dust – the remnants of bug men and soldiers. I shuddered before aiming my ray gun into the sky to take down more bugs. But the sky was clear. I looked around. The bug men had flown off to the outskirts of what remained of the city. They were surrounding us. There were thousands of them! And from a quick glance around me, I realized with despair that we were sorely outnumbered. What used to be a couple thousand soldiers was now under one hundred. My heart dropped like a stone. We were all going to die. There was no way we could stop thousands of lasers at once. Clark would survive and maybe J'onn and Diana but the rest of us? The outcome would be nothing but complete annihilation. I reached out and grabbed Clark's hand, regardless of our audience; if I was going to die, I'd die being connected to him. He squeezed my fingers.

The bugs held their positions, their guns trained right on us. I was just beginning to go mad from the silence when a weird whirlpool-like noise followed by a rip in the air caught my immediate attention. A portal spiraled into existence, revealing a man and a world of fire behind him. The man was large, grey skinned, ripped with muscles, and bald. A dark blue spandex suit covered his body exposing his arms and calves. His hands reminded me of a lumberjack, big and strong. A large frown dwelt upon his face and there was no white in his eyes, only red. I felt myself shrink in his presence. The authority he brought with him was staggering, almost tangible even. My heart quickened with fear as he floated out of the portal and stood in the air, looking down on us with an expression of deepest disgust.

Someone gasped in shock. I looked around for the source of the noise but didn't need an explanation for the outburst. Flash had stepped away from the rest of the group to kneel before Darkseid. My mouth dropped open. "Flash?" I whispered, horrified.

"I have done as you requested, Lord Darkseid," Flash muttered.

"And you have done well, Flash," Darkseid replied with a smirk.

Clark separated himself from the rest of us, letting go of my hand. "The real Flash wouldn't follow you. What have you done to him?"

Ignoring the question, Darkseid surveyed the area. "You fought bravely against my para-demons but the effort was futile. Pity that so many of the humans had to die over a lost cause."

"What do you want?" Clark demanded.

Darkseid turned back to him. "The same thing I want every time I leave Apokolips: to conquer and make this world part of my vast empire. Hundreds of civilizations have fallen under my feet. Did you really think this world's outcome would have been different?"

"What gives you the right to claim other worlds for your own?" General Swanwick demanded. "This is our planet and we're not going to simply hand it over to you especially given the methods you have used to introduce yourself. We will not be willed into submitting to your tyranny."

Several of the soldiers shouted in agreement, supporting their general. Darkseid's eyes narrowed a fraction and then, without warning, they glowed red. A beam rushed from them, zigzagged around Clark, and zapped General Swanwick right in the chest. A cry of despair rattled my eardrums before the general evaporated into a cloud of smoke. The soldiers gasped and took several paces back, stunned.

"No!" Clark shouted, turning on Darkseid. Rocketing into the air, he slammed his fist into the alien tyrant's gray face.

The impact caused Darkseid to fly backward a few feet but he righted himself without even a scratch to show for Clark's anger. "That was foolish, Kal-El," he muttered before his eyes glowed. The Omega Beams slammed into Clark's chest and my heart stopped. But instead of disintegrating like General Swanwick, Clark writhed in pain, screaming as he fell and jerked uncontrollably in the dirt. His cries raked against my soul like a thousand needles.

"Superman!" several people shouted at once, me being among them.

Darkseid blinked and the beams relented. I rushed forward, knelt down and placed my hand on Clark's shoulder only to cry out and pull my hand away; it was like touching a hot stove. Already my fingers were slightly inflamed from the burn. What kind of sick joke was this?! I was relieved he hadn't been vaporized but I couldn't even touch him to see if he was okay!

"Kal-El," I prompted, trying to keep the emotion from my voice.

His eyes opened and a ragged breath escaped him. "I'm alright," he gasped, sitting up. Then, with a burst of strength, he returned to his feet and scowled at Darkseid.

The evil man hovered in the air, smirking. "What magnificent stamina you have, Kryptonian. I look forward to testing it further in the future. But first, we must settle the matter at hand. I warn you, Kal-El, try anything and witness another of your friends die." He then turned to Flash who had stood silently away from us since revealing his betrayal. "Flash, if you would, please."

"With pleasure, Lord Darkseid," Flash said with a bow before turning on us.

All it took was for me to blink once and my hands were cuffed behind my back, a chain slithering from my wrists to a solider a few paces behind me, bound in similar cuffs. Clark and the other League members minus Flash had been rounded up as well in similar chains except Clark's were laced with Kryptonite. My eyes followed the chain binding us all together; it was held securely in the hands of several para-demons.

"What are you planning to do to us?" Clark demanded through clenched teeth.

Darkseid turned his back on us and began to fly towards the portal. "Subjugation is a powerful tool, Kal-El, one that if used wisely will profit all involved."

Flash followed after Darkseid without even looking at his former colleagues. Both disappeared into the vortex before the para-demons headed into the void, dragging us with them. My heart was hammering in my chest as I trudged behind several soldiers in front of me through the portal into the world Darkseid ruled.

Everything was covered in fire. Well, mostly in fire. Fire pits were everywhere and where there wasn't fire there was metal. The floor, the towers, the vehicles, the décor, even the giant palace in the distance; everything in sight a midst the flaming fire pits was made of metal. The atmosphere was covered by permanent dark clouds and smog, making the fires around us the only source of light. If there was a sun in this forsaken place, it was nowhere to be found. I bit my lip, hoping that Clark would still have his powers in such a horrendous environment even if he was tied up with kryptonite at the moment.

I'd never had much appreciation for the Earth since I'd spent most of my time in the city but at least there were trees, vegetation, and fountains. Here there was nothing. The deeper we were yanked down the metal road away from the portal to our world, the more my heart yearned to see the colors of green and blue. This world was so dark. Though I wouldn't tell anyone, I was grateful I hadn't entered here alone. My thoughts turned to Jason. How scared he must have been entering this foul place! Where was he? I had no idea how big this world was neither did I have any way of knowing where Jason or the others might be. This whole situation was getting more hopeless by the minute.

There was a halt in our procession. I dared to look around the shoulders of the soldiers in front of me. We'd reached a fork in the road and the Justice League was being led down the right path while the rest of us were prodded down the other towards a foreboding tower that stood hundreds of feet tall. Clark's eyes met mine. His face was expressionless but his eyes…his eyes held all the worry and love in the world. I longed to reach out to him but I couldn't afford giving Darkseid any more evidence to be suspicious about. The last thing I needed was for him to find out the true relationship between me and Clark. No, it was better to hide my feelings than to display them. I looked at Clark expressionless but my heart beat wildly, signifying my feelings. The sound was heard by Clark, I was sure of it, because he allowed a small smile to grace his lips for a fraction of a second before turning it into a grimace.

"Where are you taking them?" Clark's voice drifted into my range of hearing over the roar of the fire pits we were slowly creeping towards.

"All in good time, Kal-El," Darkseid responded.

I dared to glance back at Clark one more time. I fleetingly caught his face, filled with worry, before I was shoved through the doors. I took a deep breath and faced forward, refusing to believe this might be the last time I ever saw the man I loved.

888

Have you ever had to watch in silence as the one you loved the most was literally stripped away from you and you couldn't even proclaim your love for them aloud? Clark wouldn't wish the despair he was feeling on anyone. He had a horrible suspicion that all humans who walked in those doors that Lois had just entered never came out alive. What terrified him further was he picked up the heartbeats of both Jason and his mother on the other side of the doors. Swallowing hard, he forced himself not to think he'd never see Lois again.

If he weren't bound with Kryptonite he could do something! He chanced another glance at the retreating figures of the soldiers but he couldn't make out Lois though he did see her father and Colonel Hardy. Two Lanes in one location? Surely they stood a chance… Clark prayed Lois and her father would stick together and that they would find Jason, his mother, and the others. He had to find a way to get everyone out of here.

"Flash," Darkseid called.

"Yes, Lord Darkseid?"

"Take these prisoners to the Arena. I'm sure Granny Goodness and her girls will enjoy the company."

"Of course," Flash said, zipping forward in a blur to take the chains from the para-demons.

"Wait," Darkseid ordered.

"Sir?"

"Kal-El comes with me," he said, turning his back on the League and flying away without looking over his shoulder.

Clark's chains were separated from the others and attached to a metal platform large enough to stand on. The second his chains were secure the platform leapt into the air. He looked over at his friends who were watching him in concern.

"Don't worry about us, Clark," Bruce whispered. "We can take care of ourselves. We'll find a way to break free and get to Lois and the others. You worry about getting away from Darkseid until some of us can get to you. Keep your earpiece; it's got a tracking device that will help us find you."

Comforted by the courage of his friend, Clark nodded and turned to face forward. He passed a giant statue of Darkseid and looked down to see a pit full of workers, their backs covered in sweat as they labored. Clark wondered who they were. They looked human but then again he looked human and was not. Were they being held here against their will? If so he would be sure to free them. Clark looked down at the Kryptonite lined bonds and scowled. Stupid meteor rock. It was just potent enough to prevent him from using his abilities but concealed enough for him to remain standing.

His platform was soon swallowed up by the architecture of Darkseid's palace. He was taken down several hallways of copper, silver, and bronze before entering the throne room. The size of a football field, the room looked a lot like the inside of an active volcano, the fiery pit below gurgling and pulsing with live magma, occasionally exploding in a geyser of flame. A thin strip of stone etched its way across the blazing pit ending at Darkseid's throne, giving Clark the impression that one had to walk through hellfire before reaching their fate with the Devil. That probably was Darkseid's intent. The villain himself sat in a throne placed atop a set of stairs, the massive metal chair casting a thick shadow upon all who stood before it.

The platform landed at the base of the stairs and Clark stepped off, his back straight, his eyes never leaving those of his captor. Darkseid swept a hand across the vast room, stopping to point out a window that opened to his vast empire. "Welcome to my realm, Kal-El. Is it not magnificent?"

"Magnificence is in the eye of the beholder," Clark replied sourly. He much preferred the beauty of Earth with its vast blue skies, its rolling hills, towering mountains, powerful oceans, and evergreen forests. He loved Earth more than Krypton, even. Darkseid's empire, to him, was as dull as wet laundry in gray dye.

"You prefer Earth's pitiful display over my greatness?" Darkseid wondered. His tone was light but held an undercurrent of warning.

Clark merely shrugged. Darkseid's frown increased. "Magnificence, Kal-El, comes when all are unified in a singular purpose. That pathetic planet you have decided to adopt is a cesspool of chaos and war. Human beings are primitive, their selfishness and greed highly beneath beings such as you and me."

Clark furrowed his eyebrows. "What are you implying?"

"They need a leader to rule over them, to unite them in a singular purpose," Darkseid revealed.

"And you believe that leader is you?"

"Quite the contrary, Kal-El. The humans have picked their leader, they just don't recognize him yet."

"I don't follow."

Darkseid stood and put his massive arms behind his back. "The leader is you, Kal-El."

Clark shook his head emphatically. "Human beings may seem petty and young as a race but they also possess something that many who visit their planet fail to see. They are compassionate, kind, loyal, and loving to those whom they trust. They look out for each other and will rise to defend not only themselves individually but collectively should a threat try to take away the liberties they enjoy."

Darkseid studied Clark silently before smiling evilly. "That is why you shall be their leader, Kal-El. The humans trust you."

"I wonder why," Clark snapped, interrupting him.

"They may see me as a tyrant now but should you lead them to believe in me and my cause, they would come willingly."

Clark bristled. Anger pulsed beneath his veins. "And what makes you think I would ever do such a thing? None of your actions have given me any reason to support your cause. You have killed hundreds of people as if they were mere flies, you're trying to transform the Earth into another Apokolips, and you led my friends away in chains to fight for their lives. Give me one good reason why I should align myself with you."

Darkseid sighed in frustration. "I was aware of your stubbornness, Kal-El. I have observed you for quite some time."

"It was you... you set those apartments and the Daily Planet on fire," Clark guessed.

"I did," he answered without a hint of remorse. "You show such promise, Kal-El, however, your motivations are misguided. I couldn't afford to deal with you so I contacted that fool of a collector, the Preserver. He was to keep you in safe conditions until the Earth had finished its transformation but it appears the idiot couldn't even do that simple task."

"Many people were hurt because of those bounty hunters," Clark raged.

"And had you not fought back but gone willingly none of them would have suffered," Darkseid pointed out.

Clark scowled. It was probably true but he wasn't about to agree with Darkseid. The dictator smirked and stared him down with those haunting red eyes. "When I became aware of your return, I decided to take it upon myself to offer you a chance."

"And how did you know I'd returned?"

"Your friend, the Flash," Darkseid revealed. "The fool was a little too overzealous for his own good. Seeing my para-demons returning to Apokolips through one of the boom tubes, he rushed after them. Imagine my delight in having one of your colleagues in my grasp."

"What did you do to him?!" Clark demanded.

"I did nothing although Granny Goodness opened his mind to see things my way."

"You brainwashed him?!"

Darkseid ignored the question. "I returned him to you with the orders to alert me should any attempts be made to thwart my plans. I'm glad I did or you and your little friends might have done things you would have regretted later. The turn of events have not been in accord with my plans but I'm willing to adapt to the changes. Now, Kal-El, what is your decision? Keep in mind, you will either be my knight that leads the humans or my pawn in bringing them into subjection."

"I'm not going to decide on anything until you tell me what you really are trying to do to the Earth. I don't believe you're changing it so it can be better. You're not the type who seems humane. What are your real intentions in attacking innocent people?"

Darkseid walked back over to his throne, sat down, and waved his hand. The cuffs around Clark's wrists fell to the floor, releasing him. Clark didn't move, eyeing him suspiciously. Darkseid rubbed his chin as if trying to decide something. The two aliens never faltered in their gaze while the flames leapt occasionally around them. Darkseid finally laced his fingers together and leaned forward.

"You are rather perceptive, Kal-El, another reason I desire for you to be my knight. With you by my side I will be able to conquer all manner of planets in my search for the Anti-Life Equation."

"The what?"

"The Anti-Life Equation, Kal-El. It gives the possessor control over the thoughts and emotions of all living beings in the universe. My ultimate goal is to eliminate all free will from the universe and reshape it into my ideal. To do that, I need the Anti-Life Equation. I have a special interest in this primitive planet you have adopted because I believe humans collectively possess within their minds most fragments of the Equation. I intend to probe their minds in order to piece it together."

Clark felt a wave of white hot anger course under his skin. Tightening his hands into fists he took a step closer to Darkseid. "You have no right to take away the will from any living thing, Darkseid. Every creature is given the choice to act for themselves."

Darkseid shook his head. "This is where you are misguided. Do you not see that when any life form is free to make its own decisions, chaos ensues? Wars are waged, lives are lost, and division is eminent. Surely you grow weary of always trying to restore peace to planet Earth? Do you not realize that if you allow the humans to always make their own choices you will never find rest? There will always be another foe to face, another fight to be conquered, and another problem to be solved. With everyone bent forcibly to my will there will be consistency, tranquility, and peace. There will be no threats for all will be equal."

Clark shook his head. "You're blinded by an ambition that is fruitless, Darkseid. You think that by taking away freedom everyone will be at peace? What about happiness?"

Darkseid scoffed. "Happiness is a myth. It is a state of the mind intended for the primeval to lure them into false security. It is utter foolishness, Kal-El."

"Then you have never been happy," Clark stated. "Happiness doesn't come from how much you own or what you have achieved, Darkseid. It comes when you are surrounded by the people you love, when you do something good for someone else, and when someone else does something good for you."

"It matters not!" Darkseid spat. "What you fail to realize is that this so called happiness you speak of is not lasting. It fades away like the sands of time."

"Only if you allow it to," Clark countered. "It's something that you have to fight for every day."

"That is why it is meaningless! It is pointless to fight constantly for something so trivial when all problems can be resolved by destroying conflict. The Anti-Life Equation will strip conflict out of the universe and all will be at peace under my rule."

"Fighting for something is what life is all about, Darkseid! You take that away and there might as well not be any life!"

Darkseid stood to his full height, standing two feet above Clark. His eyes literally flared with fire as he breathed heavily through his nose. "Is this your answer, then? You will not be my knight?"

Not intimidated in the slightest by the hulking man before him, Clark folded his arms and stood his ground. "No, Darkseid. I will be what I have always been: a protector to the human race. I will not allow you to do with them as you please in your search of something as asinine as destroying the universe's will."

"I have already begun my search, Kal-El. The carcasses of your beloved humans lay in heaps around the Earth. You did not prevent me from killing them and you certainly won't stand in my way now. Since you will not be my knight, you will be my pawn."

His eyes flared red and soon the throne room was filled with Clark's agonized screams.

888

The Justice League stood in the middle of a giant arena filled to the brim with angry para-demons. Their rage sounded like thousands of irritated cicadas on a humid summer's night in the south. Amidst their angry song were the shouts of a furious woman whose white afro stood on end. She was waving her scepter and cursing the League for destroying all her precious students.

"Tough crowd," Green Arrow said as he pulled an arrow from the leg of a woman who reminded him of Paul Bunyan. The giantess let out a roar of pain from the gesture, retracting her leg and holding it as blood trickled from the wound.

"Granny Goodness doesn't look too pleased either," Wonder Woman observed as the white haired woman continued to rage.

Flash stood next to her with his arms folded, a frown on his face. He was the only onlooker who hadn't displayed any emotion the entire battle between the League and all thirty of Granny's students.

"How dare you!" Granny Goodness shouted over the para-demons. "My precious babies! What have you done to them?"

"They attacked us!" Aquaman shouted. "What did you expect? When threatened, we fight!"

Granny Goodness bore her slightly stained yellow teeth. She looked like a grandmother with terrible hygiene issues. Her large build made her formidable but not completely intimidating. Growling down at the League, she snapped, "Since you have no issues injuring my girls you shouldn't have a problem with a former comrade. Flash, be a dear and destroy these pests."

"With pleasure," Flash muttered.

Before anyone could move, he was a blur, racing into their midst. With his speed he took down Aquaman and Green Arrow before they even knew what happened, punching them five times in the face with three kicks to the abdomen. He reappeared, standing over their fallen bodies while both men groaned in pain.

"Barry, snap out of it!" Wonder Woman cried, rushing forward to grab him with her hands.

Flash struggled to be released but Wonder Woman's grip was firm. The Speedster twisted on his heel, spinning Wonder Woman in a circle until they became a tornado. Because the Amazon refused to let go, Flash used her as a weapon to smash into the remaining League members. After colliding with both Green Lantern and Batman, Wonder Woman finally released her grip. She flew through the air and slammed into the wall, crumpling in the dirt before loose debris fell on top of her. Flash looked around to find Martian Manhunter to be the only opponent left.

Granny Goodness cackled loudly like a witch straight from a horror film. "Finish him off," she shouted over the cheers of the para-demons.

There was a loud crunch as the debris over Wonder Woman flew in all directions revealing a rather ticked off Amazon Princess. The other Justice League members recovered and regained their footing. The crowd hissed angrily.

"You can't stop me," Flash said as they all slowly crept towards him.

"Barry, we don't want to fight you," Martian Manhunter said calmly. "If all of us came at you at once, you'd hold your own for a while but you would fall. We would rather not engage you in combat."

"Speak for yourself," Batman muttered before throwing a batarang into Flash's arm.

The temporary distraction was enough for the other League members to spring into action. Green Arrow used an arrow that changed into a lasso which wrapped around Flash's legs before the Speedster could take off. Green Lantern secured his arms with chains that attached to the ground. Wonder Woman flung her own lasso to tighten his arms to his chest and Martian Manhunter grabbed his head with both his hands and looked him in the eyes.

"Let go of me!" Flash snarled angrily.

"Do it before he vibrates his way out," Aquaman shouted.

J'onn sighed. "I'm sorry to do this, Flash."

J'onn extended his consciousness into Flash's mind and was shocked by what he found. A door covered in chains stood before him and Barry was tied at the center, his head bowed, his chest heaving.

"Barry!" he rushed forward only to hit some invisible force field.

"J'onn…" Barry's weak voice filled the air.

"There seems to be a force preventing me from reaching you," J'onn explained to him. "I _can_ penetrate it but it will hurt."

"Do it," Barry pleaded.

J'onn raised his hand, focused really hard, and shot a purple energy blast at the force field. The wall exploded but the energy continued to fly through the air, contacting with the chains wrapped around Barry's chest. Barry screamed as the chains burst away like flying snakes. Light flashed, blinding J'onn, and the explosion flung him out of Barry's mind. J'onn fell backward and was caught by Aquaman.

"J'onn! Are you okay?"

"I am fine," he muttered. "Thank you, Aquaman."

"Barry?" Green Lantern questioned. "Are you there?"

Barry opened his eyes and let out a weak smile. "What took you guys so long to rescue me?"

Green Arrow chuckled. "Yep, that's him. Welcome back."

"I hate to break up the reunion but we've got a problem," Batman muttered, pointing to Granny Goodness and the para-demons surrounding them.

"Everyone hang on to me," J'onn muttered.

"What are you going to do?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Act now, talk later," Batman ordered, grabbing her hand and placing it with his own onto J'onn's shoulder.

The others did as they were told. Just as the para-demons swarmed into the air, J'onn disappeared, camouflaging the others with him. Descending into the floor, the League traveled through dirt and metal before reappearing on the surface several miles from the arena. The moment J'onn reappeared the others staggered away from him.

"That was the strangest thing I've ever done," Green Arrow muttered, covering his mouth.

"Warn us next time we're going to be traveling through the solid ground, J'onn," Aquaman growled as he pinched his nose.

"My apologies," J'onn replied.

"Where are we?" Batman asked, looking around.

They were standing in the shadow of a large structure with barred windows and no doors to be seen. Para-demons stood as sentinels on the towers, pacing back and forth with large spears that glowed from electricity. The perimeter was surrounded by a twenty foot solid metal wall with spikes across the top. From the look of things, the building was some kind of prison.

"This is where Lois and the others have been taken," J'onn revealed.

"Great, a giant steel prison with barred windows and no doors," Green Lantern complained. "How on earth are we going to get in?"

"And what about Clark?" Aquaman asked.

"We'll have to split up," Batman muttered. "Diana, Hal, and Oliver will stay here and find a way into the prison. Barry, J'onn, you come with me to get Clark."

"How are we going to get back to Earth?" asked Green Arrow.

"With these," Flash said holding out two white remotes. "These controllers will open the boom tubes – those are the portals that brought us here. I stole them from Granny Goodness when she wasn't looking."

"How?" Green Lantern asked.

Flash smirked. "They may have had a pretty good hold on my mind but I managed to fight back a little bit. Here," he said, giving a remote to Wonder Woman, "we'll meet you back on Earth."

"Are you sure?" Wonder Woman asked.

Flash nodded. "I have a personal vendetta with Darkseid to take care of. We'll get Clark and meet you back in Metropolis. I've set the coordinates to open the boom tubes there."

"Alright," Wonder Woman said. "Take care of yourselves."

"We will," Batman promised.

The heroes looked at each other like people usually do when faced with hard times; it was an unspoken communication of assurance and companionship. Batman turned first, breaking the moment, and the others followed suit. Parting ways, the heroes rushed off at top speed to rescue their colleague and the fellowmen they vowed to protect.

**Thank you all for reading! Reviews! Pretty please? :3**


	19. Subjugation

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but I'm glad Superman exists for all of us to enjoy! :)**

**Warning: Terrible things go down in this chapter... but it had to be done! Have I caught your curiosity yet? Happy reading to find out what I'm talking about! :)**

19 Subjugation

The moment the doors slammed ominously behind us, I longed for them to open again. The large hallway before us was made from a disgusting combination of concrete and bones. I shivered uncontrollably as I looked at several skulls with four or five pairs of hallowed eyes and fangs for teeth. The floor was thankfully bare of bones but the walls and ceilings were more than my fair share of the dead. The putrid air reminded me of a dump, sewers, and another smell I'd rather not identify. The only source of light was the small torches lining the creepy walls.

Our captors mercilessly pulled us along, yanking on the chains until we came to a large barred gate. I was grateful that though seemingly impenetrable, it wasn't made of bones but steel. Our procession was halted and I soon found out why. The para-demons were taking our cuffs off one at a time. As I got closer, I realized that on the other side of the barred gate was a three foot drop where the para-demons were mercilessly shoving the soldiers into its depths.

My turn came. Up close, the para-demons had bright round yellow eyes that glowed in the dim light. Their faces were smashed in like a pig's snout, and their slightly rounded teeth reminded me of a baby's. I soon identified them as the source of the sewer smell and gagged as the para-demons gruffly freed my wrists and pushed me unceremoniously into the void. It was a good thing I was wearing combat boots; if I had been in heels I undoubtedly would have sprained or broken my ankles. I'd also miscalculated the depth of the pit because what I thought was three feet turned out to be seven.

My shock alone stopped my scream as I fell. I landed on my feet but the force of the impact caused me to fall forward on my hands and knees. The rough rocks did nothing to help the burn on my hand from when I'd touched Clark. I hissed in pain as I rolled to the side.

"Lois! Lois, are you alright?"

I looked up as my father helped me to my feet. "I'm fine," I muttered.

He wrapped his arms around me. Normally a hug from my father would be awkward but this one was an unspoken communication of love and a means of strength. I buried my face into his shoulder. He rubbed my head and spoke soothing reassurances to me. I was suddenly taken back in time, remembering when I was four years old how my father held me just like this when I thought there was a giant monster living in my closet. I never would admit to anyone that right at this moment I felt similar fears I felt then. I was terrified of what they were going to do to us, where my baby was, and what in the world Darkseid was going to do with Clark. My whole family was in jeopardy and I found myself in such a position that there was literally nothing I could do about it. And I was stir crazy with anger, fear, and desperation.

I pulled away from my dad and looked around. Other soldiers were helping their comrades get to their feet and a group of people stood before us. There seemed to be a commotion in the middle as several people were grumbling while trying to make way as something barreled through the crowd.

"Mommy!"

Forget being strong; tears burst from my eyes at the sight of my son. His face was covered in dirt but his beautiful blue eyes – the eyes of his father – shone through like the brightest earthy skies. His little hands reached out to me and he leapt into my open arms. I enveloped him in kisses, squeezing him tightly to my chest.

"Lois!"

"Perry!" I gasped, looking through the unruly curls of my son to find Perry pushing through the crowd with Martha and Chloe right behind him. They were as filthy as Jason but looked completely fine otherwise. I looked around and with immediate concern asked, "Where's Richard?"

Chloe's face filled with disdain. Thinking the worst, I demanded again, "Where's Richard?"

"He's over here," Perry muttered, his voice suddenly full of apprehension.

We pushed through the crowd making our way to the other side of the room. After passing a few feet of people who were standing to greet the new arrivals, we came to some kind of encampment devoid of any camping equipment. People sat huddled in groups, comforting each other in hushed whispers while loners leaned against the walls with their arms around their knees, watching the display before them with hopeless expressions. My eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Richard. He was slummed against the wall covered in what I determined to be the remains of Perry's suit coat. His face was pale and dried speckles of blood were on his right cheek.

I picked up the pace and raced to Richard's side, dropping onto my knees and grabbing Richard's left hand. "Richard! Richard!" I cried, shaking him slightly.

He coughed and lifted his lids. A ghost of a grin that I used to remember so well danced across his face before he fell into a grimace. "Hey, Lois, fancy seeing you here."

"Richard, what happened to you?" I demanded.

"He tried to stop the bug men from taking Jason," Chloe answered, kneeling down on Richard's other side to kiss his cheek. "The brutes ripped Jason away from him, taking a little more than they bargained for in the process."

Chloe lifted the jacket from Richard's chest. I gasped. Dread punched me right in the stomach. _Richard's right arm was gone._ A bloodied fabric had been wrapped hastily over the wound. I covered my mouth. Jason sniffled loudly in my ear and clung to me tightly, unable to look at his first father. Chloe checked the bandages while Richard hissed in pain.

"Careful, woman," he muttered. "It's tender."

"Of course it is," Chloe replied without the least bit of offense. "Doctor Hamilton said it's not going to get any better unless we get you to a hospital."

"Last time I checked this place was fresh out of those," Richard groaned as Chloe put the jacket back over him.

She kissed his forehead and frowned. "You have a slight fever."

I tried really hard to control my tears but my voice was thick with emotion. "Why did you have to go and do something so stupid, Richard?"

He only smiled. "I wasn't about to let those creatures run off with my son, Lois."

"I'm sorry," Jason muttered, his tears pouring into my shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Richard lifted his left hand and ruffled Jason's grimy hair. "It's okay, son. You're more important to me than an arm."

I shook my head, the tears freely falling down my face. Richard was incredible. Here he was, a man who knew full well that Jason wasn't his biological son and yet he'd sacrificed a limb for him. If that wasn't the ultimate display of the love of a father, I didn't know what was. "Thank you," I whispered.

Richard smiled, closed his eyes, and sighed. I got up and left him to Chloe, who stroked his hair from his forehead and held his hand tightly. I walked over to Perry who had been watching the whole scene in silence. Jason refused to let go of me so I held him in one arm while hugging Perry with the other. "Are you alright?" I muttered.

Perry huffed. "I'm fine, Lane. My nephew did me proud. He may have lost a limb but he's still breathing."

_But for how long?_ I wondered silently, unable to voice the thought to Perry. From his face I could guess he was thinking the same thing. Richard looked like death could claim him any moment. The bandage wasn't exactly clean and I had a terrible suspicion that the wound was infected. Trying to change the subject a little, I asked, "Who's Doctor Hamilton?"

Perry pointed. "He's over there. He was rounded up with us when those bug things raided the hotel. Poor bloke just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time but he's been an immense help. That pit's deeper than you think. Several people have broken ankles and legs and unfortunately most of the elderly didn't survive the fall. We don't have anything to bury them with so we left them over there in the corner." He pointed where a pile covered in jackets laid unable to completely hide the dead. "Dr. Hamilton's been able to bandage up the injured with what we have," Perry continued, "which means everything's made up of walking sticks and clothes. There isn't much else he can do besides that but everyone considers him to be a lifesaver."

I watched the young man in silent gratitude as he tended to a soldier whose leg had twisted beneath him from the fall. The doctor was young, a man with tanned skin and curly black hair. A pair of square glasses rested on his slightly crooked nose. He pushed them up the bridge and I felt a pang as I thought of Clark. I looked up to find the upper walls filled with barred windows.

"Where's Clark?" Perry asked.

I looked at him and swallowed hard. Jason finally pulled away from my neck to look at my face. "Mommy, is Daddy okay?"

I smiled sadly. "For now I believe he is munchkin. He's with Darkseid."

Jason's whole body shivered and his grip on my neck tightened so much it began to hurt. "Ouch!" I muttered.

Jason froze and pulled away. "Sorry!" he gasped, looking at his hands, his eyes filled with fear. "Are you okay, mommy? Did I hurt you?"

"No, Jason," I said immediately, despite the soreness that was sure to become a bruise later. "I'm fine."

"Is Daddy fighting against that bad man?" Jason asked.

I shook my head. "I don't think so, sweetheart. I think they're just talking." One look from Perry and I knew he wondered the same thing I did; how long would the talking last? "Have you seen Darkseid?" I asked, looking at Perry.

It was Martha who answered. "Yes. He showed up shortly after we were thrown into this hole. He told us we had been chosen to help him discover a hidden secret. He promised rewards to those who volunteered, things that had to do with power and glory. There were many people who followed him through some kind of portal but the rest of us stayed here."

"What did he want?" I wondered.

Perry shrugged. "We don't know but we weren't fool enough to follow him. The last thing I'm going to do is follow some madman into some unknown portal with nothing but his word to bank on. We haven't seen anyone come back either. Neither has anybody said anything to us since. We've just been hanging out here. You and those soldiers are the first ones we've seen come in."

"There has to be a way out," my father said behind me.

Several soldiers had followed him as well as we made it over to Richard's resting place. They all looked to the General, awaiting orders. Colonel Hardy soon joined us with a few more soldiers and several people brave enough to want to make some kind of a stand.

"We haven't been able to find a way out since we got here," Perry said, "but we didn't look too deeply due to Richard's condition."

The General nodded. "That's understandable. We should scout the room. Colonel, take a few of the men but keep on the down low. The last thing we need is to alert any of those para-demons to what we're trying to do."

Colonel Hardy saluted. "You got it, General."

He marched off with about ten men. My father then commanded the rest of the soldiers to mix in with the rest of the people but keep a sharp eye; we didn't want to arouse suspicion. Realizing that my main responsibility at the moment was my son, I picked a spot along the wall just out of Richard's earshot. I slumped down into the dirt floor and pulled Jason around so I could see his face. He didn't meet my eyes.

"Jason, honey, look at me," I said softly.

Though my tone was anything but fierce, Jason flinched as if he'd been burned. He didn't look up as he mumbled, "I'm sorry."

I cupped his face. "Sweetheart, it wasn't your fault."

Finally his adorable blues looked up. "But it was!" he insisted, his voice growing hysterical. "That bug man came out of nowhere and grabbed me from the window. I screamed out to Daddy and he grabbed me to stop the bug man from taking me away. Another bug man came and tried to pull Daddy away and then…and then…" he sobbed, burying his face into my neck.

I held him tight, rocking us back and forth, guessing what happened next. Richard's arm had been ripped off still holding onto Jason. No wonder my son was so traumatized. I kissed his temple, rubbed his back, and soothed him until he stopped sobbing. After he'd gained control, I spoke.

"Jason, it wasn't your fault. The para-demons, those bug things, are the ones to blame. Richard was only trying to protect you. Even if you hadn't called out to him he would have done what he did. It wasn't your fault."

Jason looked into my face and found the comfort he'd been seeking. He nodded and then looked down. "Mommy, what happened to your hand?"

I looked down. The white blisters were pocket marked with red scrapes from my fall. "I burned myself, honey. I'll be okay."

Even as I said it, my hand smarted but I refused to let Jason see the pain. The last thing I needed was for him to see me weak. Jason seemed satisfied with my answer although he did raise my hand to kiss it gently before resting his head in the crook of my neck once more. I closed my eyes and occasionally kissed his forehead, my thoughts turning to Clark. Was he okay? What had happened to the League? I didn't dare entertain the thoughts of what was going to happen next. I was about to pass out from exhaustion when the sound of screeching metal filled my ears. I looked up at the barred gates to see them being forced apart by none other than…

_"Diana!"_ I exclaimed.

The Amazon Princess pushed the bars apart as if they were made of clay. Her appearance was just as filthy as the rest of us except she'd shed her disguise for her actual hero outfit. Many were exclaiming her hero title in joy as she looked down on us with searching eyes. The shouts from the crowd intensified when Green Lantern and Green Arrow appeared at her side, both in their hero attire. I wondered if they'd hidden their suits under their clothes all along. Green Arrow spotted me first, pointing into the crowd while whispering something to both Green Lantern and Wonder Woman. The two nodded before flying into the room.

"We need to get all of you out of here as quickly as possible," Wonder Woman shouted in a commanding voice. "We've disabled the para-demons guarding the prison but the others are already scouting the skies. We don't have much time."

"Many of us are injured," someone shouted and others joined in affirming the outburst.

Wonder Woman looked to Green Lantern. "We need to keep this place safe," she said, and although she was speaking normally, the crowd below was so quiet they could pick out every word.

"What do you suggest we do?" Green Lantern asked.

"If you could create a dome big enough to shield us from para-demons, we can open a boom-tube that can get these people through without harm," Wonder Woman stated.

"I'll do my best to keep them at bay while you focus on getting people to safety," Green Arrow volunteered.

Wonder Woman nodded before pulling out a white controller. She didn't appear to really know how to use it as she examined the object in her hands. After a moment's pause, however, she landed near a wall free of people, pointed it at the solid surface, and pressed a button. The sound that shook the room was comparable to a giant vacuum turning on without the suction.

"This will lead you back to Earth," she promised over the roaring noise.

Had it been anyone else, nobody would have dared believe her. But several people rushed forward without a second thought, desperate to escape the nightmare they'd had to endure. A crowd formed and many injured were carried by those who were not. I went over to my loved ones with Jason still secure in my arms. Perry and Chloe were trying to help Richard to his feet. The poor man could hardly stand, let alone walk. I faltered in my steps as I realized the wall he'd been leaning against had hidden a pool of his blood that had collected in the dirt and against the wall. I made sure Jason's head was still over my shoulder so he couldn't see.

A giant green orb encircled the pit. I looked up to see Green Lantern concentrating all his efforts on ensuring the dome held no matter what force smashed against it. Green Arrow was standing on a green platform Green Lantern had constructed, his bow at the read to attack any para-demon that might try to break through the shield. So far none had showed. I turned my focus back to Richard who had fallen completely into Perry's arms; he'd passed out.

"Is he okay?" I gasped, rushing forward.

"He'll have to be," Perry grunted.

Perry was joined immediately by my father in keeping Richard upright. Between the two of them, they started dragging him towards where the others were already congregated in front of the boom-tube. Martha, Chloe, and I huddled close together. We managed to join the crowd just as the first para-demons tried to attack the dome.

Green Arrow fired. A hole appeared just wide enough in the shield for his arrow to go through and slam into a para-demon. The monster fell into the dome and slid down the surface leaving a trail of darkened green slime in its wake. Wonder Woman was manning the portal, keeping everyone in order so as to avoid chaos. By now Green Arrow was constantly firing arrows at para-demons and Green Lantern had sweat pouring from his face.

Wonder Woman glanced up at them worriedly as she ushered the people before our group through the portal. "There you are," she gasped in relief. "I thought I might have missed you."

"Where's Clark?" I asked, ignorant of everything else happening around us.

"We're not sure," she admitted reluctantly. "Batman, Flash, and Martian Manhunter went to find him."

"Flash!" I gasped suddenly.

"Relax," Wonder Woman said. "It wasn't his fault. Darkseid did something to his mind but J'onn freed him after we tied him down."

"He did something to his _mind?!_" I gasped, a new found fear clutching my heart. "Diana…_Clark!_"

She looked nervous too. "I know but there's no point worrying over something that hasn't happened yet. Batman and the others will find him before Darkseid can do anything. Now come on, all of you need to get out of here."

I ground my heels into the dirt. "I'm not leaving without Clark," I said stubbornly.

Wonder Woman groaned in frustration. "Lois Lane you may be known as the most stubborn journalist in the world but I will not be held responsible for allowing you to stay here! My orders were to get you and the others to safety."

"Then you're going to have to drag me through this portal because I'm not going anywhere without Clark!"

Both of us stared at each other angrily but then Jason pushed himself up so he could look at me. "Mommy, Daddy isn't here."

"What?!" I gasped, staring at him.

Jason blinked and concentrated really hard. "I don't hear him, his heartbeat, I mean."

"What do you mean you don't hear his heartbeat?!" I shouted, panicked.

Jason gasped and shrunk away from my intensity. Martha put a hand on my shoulder. "Lois, calm down."

I looked from her scrutinizing expression to the slightly alarmed look of my son. I felt ashamed. I hugged Jason close. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," I muttered.

"It's okay, mommy," Jason said.

I kissed his forehead. "What did you mean about Daddy not being here?" I asked as gently as I could.

"His heartbeat disappeared all of a sudden," Jason said. "I heard it when you and Daddy first got here but just now, all of a sudden, it was gone."

I looked wildly around at Wonder Woman. "The boom tube," she said. "Batman and the others have one too. They must have made it through the portal. Lois, please, we have to go!"

I looked up. The para-demons were so thick I couldn't even see the ceiling anymore. Green Lantern was physically shaking from keeping the orb up. Green Arrow had run out of arrows and decided to join us on the ground. "What are you all waiting for?" he demanded.

Everyone looked at me. I was physically torn. How could I just leave? I wasn't even sure if Clark was okay. Just because Jason said his heartbeat simply disappeared didn't necessarily mean that Clark was now on Earth. Human heartbeats slowed down when dying but Kryptonian…how was I to know that a sudden stop of hearing the heartbeat didn't mean Clark had…? I shuddered. I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought.

Wonder Woman surprised me by pulling both me and Jason into a hug. "You're not the only one risking a loved one," she muttered.

I looked into her eyes. I'd completely forgotten about her and Bruce. "I'm sorry," I whispered, looking down in shame.

She put a hand on my shoulder. "We just have to trust that both of them made it back. We can't stay here, Lois. Everyone is at risk. Think of Jason."

I looked down at my son who looked terrified as he stared at the para-demons crawling, punching, and even blasting Green Lantern's orb with their ray guns. I turned back to Wonder Woman and nodded my heart breaking a little as I let blind faith spur me forward. I had to believe that Clark was already safely out of Darkseid's hands.

"Let's go home, munchkin," I muttered in Jason's ear.

Perry and my father got a better grip on Richard and headed for the portal first. Martha and Chloe went next. I took one long look at Wonder Woman who nodded gravely before stepping through the portal. I thought the experience would be similar to being shoved out of a geyser but instead I simply walked along the strange white surface until it turned into a hard paved street of Metropolis. I joined Martha and Chloe just as Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern came flying through the boom-tube at breaking speed. Screaming like a banshee, Wonder Woman pointed the controller at the portal. The para-demons that had been desperately chasing them suddenly vanished, along with the white vortex.

A part of my heart clenched as I thought of Clark. _Please,_ I silently begged, _please let Clark be okay_.

888

Clark couldn't even lift his arms. He'd been dragged into a cell by a pair of para-demons after Darkseid had zapped him half to death with his Omega Beam. Frustrated that he couldn't get up, Clark did manage enough strength to turn onto his side. The only other time he'd felt this weak was after he'd lifted New Krypton into space. His whole body ached. All he wanted to do was close his eyes and let darkness claim him but he couldn't afford to fall unconscious. Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, he was terrified.

While under the torturous gaze of the Omega Beams, Darkseid had gleefully exploited his plot of how he was going to use Clark to get exactly what he wanted and it had been terrifying because deep down Clark knew there was nothing he could do to prevent it. He was too weak to move, his powers were nearly spent, and, after looking around his cell, he realized it was lined with lead and he was in kryptonite handcuffs.

The only reason Darkseid hadn't gone through with his plans right then and there was because there was some commotion going on at the prison. Some old lady with an afro of white hair had stumbled into the throne room to proclaim the League had escaped and the prison had been breached. Clark had barely enough time to tune into his friends' plans to rescue him and the others before being thrown into this cell. He groaned and closed his eyes as a fresh wave of nausea overcame him.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Clark's eyes flipped open. With enormous effort, he looked over to find he wasn't the only one locked in this cell. A man built like a body builder clad in a red spandex suit with blue briefs was staring at him. His reddish hair fell slightly into his eyes. A few cuts and bruises were on his cheeks but other than those he looked unscathed. His wrists were bound in iron chains attached to the wall.

"Who are you?" Clark asked with difficulty. Even his tongue felt heavy in his mouth.

"I'm Orion," the man revealed, "Prince of New Genesis and unfortunately the biological son of Darkseid."

Clark's eyebrows rose. "Why would Darkseid chain up his own son?"

"It's a long story," Orion muttered. "But first, may I ask who you are and receive an answer to my first question?"

"I'm fine." Clark said before musing over how to introduce himself. After a while he decided to go with his heritage. "I'm Kal-El from Krypton."

Orion's eyes widened. "Wait…you're the Kryptonian who protects Earth?"

"Yes," Clark said in slight surprise.

"Oh no," Orion despaired. "He captured you."

"That's obvious," Clark grunted as he tried to get into a better position to look at his cellmate. His whole body protested and he curled up, groaning.

"Hey, easy!" Orion ordered. "You got hit with the Omega Beam pretty hard."

"How can you tell?"

"Believe me, I know how it feels," he muttered darkly.

"How do you know who I am?" Clark asked.

"Ever since Darkseid set his sights on Earth my people have known who you are. You go by a different title there… Superman, right?"

"Yes."

Orion nodded. "I was asked by my father, Izaya, to warn you of the danger. I went to the building you were known most to frequent, the Daily Planet, but Darkseid got word of my arrival on Earth and stopped me from making contact with you."

"The fire," Clark muttered, "that was you?"

"The first two weren't," Orion explained. "Darkseid caused the apartment fires to test your abilities. The Daily Planet fire was a result of trying to stop me. I believe a man was on the roof but in the chaos from the sudden flames I don't think he saw me."

"That was Perry White," Clark said. "He's a good man. He told me a fire had started but by the time I arrived and put out the fire the only thing left was a set of footprints."

"Darkseid sometimes likes to leave an impression," Orion frowned.

"Why were you trying to warn me?"

"My people have fought against Darkseid for ages. To make a long story short, after several battles, Darkseid made a packed with Highfather Izaya in a peace effort between our worlds -New Genesis and Apokolips- by trading their sons. I may be Darkseid's biological son but I was raised on New Genesis. We only discovered Darkseid's true intentions of gaining the Anti-Life Equation about a month ago. He believes humans have the answer of how to obtain it within their minds and therefore will do everything in his power to possess the planet."

Clark grimaced. "And he's going to succeed."

Orion's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean?"

Clark swallowed. "I don't have time to explain. Darkseid could come back any minute, I'm sure of it. Orion, if you're really here to help, I need you to do_ exactly_ what I tell you."

Orion studied him and then nodded. "Alright, Superman, what do you want me to do?"

Clark looked at the door. He may not be able to hear voices but he could feel vibrations in the floor. Someone was coming. Reaching up, he pulled the alien device Batman had given from his ear and threw it to Orion who caught it. "That device has a tracking system in it. My friends are going to try to rescue me," Clark said quickly since the vibrations were coming closer. "Don't allow them to do so. This is Darkseid's territory and any attempt to stop him is slim when he's got all those para-demons on his side. I'd rather you escape from here and formulate a plan to stop us back on Earth."

"Stop _us_?" Orion questioned.

Clark was just about to explain when the door burst open revealing three women. One looked like a lumberjack, the other a black spandex-clad model, and the last a petite blue skinned Amazon.

"Hello, boys," the black spandex woman chuckled as she walked into the room, trailing a white strip of metal across the floor that crackled with electricity. She leaned over Clark and flashed a predatory grin. "My, you _are_ handsome."

"Lashina, save your pleasures for another time," the blue skinned Amazon chided.

Lashina traced Clark's chin with one of her long pointed fingernails. "Just know I claimed you first," she muttered.

Clark winced from her touch, repulsed. The woman that looked like a lumberjack grabbed Clark's chains and began to drag him across the floor. "Let's go," she ordered to the other two in a gruff voice. "We don't want to keep them waiting."

Lashina looked at Orion and nudged the blue Amazon. "You might want to kiss him goodbye, Artemiz," she laughed. "Darkseid isn't going to let him live much longer."

"Lashina, Artemiz, come on!" Clark's captor snapped as she dragged him out of the cell.

"Coming Gilotina," Lashina called as she and Artemiz teased Orion one more time before shutting the cell and walking behind Clark.

Clark tried not to make a sound as he was dragged up several flights of stairs and down a few corridors. The sweltering heat around them bothered him now – an indication that his invulnerability was gone. The kryptonite dug into his wrists so badly that blood had begun to trickle down his arms. It didn't help that he couldn't even walk to alleviate their pressure against his skin. He felt like the meteor rock was digging deeper and deeper into his tissues, as if longing to wear his skin down to the bone.

Just when he thought he would pass out from the pain, Gilotina stopped, picked him up, and slammed him into a chair. Clark wheezed as he strained to lift his head. He found Darkseid's flaming red eyes glaring mere inches from his face. The tyrant frowned deeply at him in disappointment as well as triumph.

"I told you, Kal-El," he muttered, "You could either be my knight or my pawn. This was your choice. Either way, I want you to know that you were going to be exactly what I needed. It's simply a pity you resorted to this."

Clark was losing consciousness. His head fell forward onto his chest just as something was placed over his skull. An electric shock coursed through his whole body. His vision went white and he knew no more.

888

After interrogating an innocent bystander, we learned that the para-demons had all disappeared from Metropolis. People had been out wandering the streets trying to assess if it was safe for the last few hours. After getting hold of a smartphone, we found that it wasn't just Metropolis that was bug free. The entire world seemed to be in the clear. Though everyone cheered at the news, I was highly suspicious. Something seemed off. Call it intuition but I had a feeling this wasn't over. The holes were still in the Earth but after another internet search, I learned that the fires from them had stopped.

That didn't bode well. Darkseid wouldn't just stop when he was so close to achieving his goal. The only ray of hope I could see of this not being a hoax was that Clark and the others had stopped him. But for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to believe it. The second we'd returned, I figured Clark would come flying to where we were but it had already been an hour and there was still no sign of him.

Perry and Chloe had rushed Richard to the hospital and my father had run off to gather military troops. That left Martha, Jason, and I to trudge through the streets back to my apartment. Thankfully we were only two blocks away. Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Green Lantern had promised to meet us there later, focusing all their efforts on helping the injured get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

We had entered the apartment and were watching the television when the familiar sound of a boom tube opening filled the whole of my living room. My fear turned to relief when I saw Batman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, and an unknown man come flying out of the vortex. I waited for a certain tall, pale, and handsome to follow suit but Batman held up the white controller and closed the portal.

I leapt to my feet. "Where is he?!" I demanded.

Batman took off his mask and looked down at the floor, unable to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry, Lois."

My breathing hitched and I shook my head, taking a step back. "No," I gasped.

"He's alive!" the man in red spandex assured.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Orion. I spoke with Superman before he was carried away by the Furies. He gave me this with the orders to return his friends to Earth and formulate a plan to stop him and Darkseid."

I blinked several times, not comprehending his words as he held up the earpiece Batman had given us after returning from space. "What do you mean by stopping him and Darkseid?" I asked, confused. "Clark would never –"

"Oh yes he would, Lois," Flash interrupted. "When under Darkseid's control I got a glimpse into what his plans were. He was going to use Clark to rule over us whether he did so willingly or forcefully."

"Against his…" I paused as the reality came crashing down. "They're going to do to him what they did to you, aren't they?"

Flash looked down at his feet as he nodded. My knees felt weak. I collapsed into a chair and shakily covered my eyes. "This can't be happening…" I whispered.

"Clark knew it was coming," Bruce said. "He warned Orion so as to provide us with a chance to prepare."

"How did you guys meet?" I asked, looking from the stranger to Bruce.

Bruce held up Clark's earpiece. "This little device isn't just an earpiece," he revealed. "It has a tracking system as well as a way to record previous conversation. When we broke into the cell, instead of finding Clark we found Orion who explained to us what happened and what he assumed was Clark's fate."

"And in case you were wondering," Orion said, standing up, "I'm a friend. I am the prince of New Genesis, a planet that has waged war with Apokolips for many years. I was sent here by my people to prevent Darkseid from accomplishing his goal. I will do all I can to help you against this threat. Superman is not completely lost to us although when he arrives here he will be a formidable opponent. We must be ready. I'm afraid our time to prepare before he strikes is already very limited."

The words had barely left his lips when the whole apartment building shook down to its foundations.

"Correction, we don't have any time," Bruce muttered as he pulled on his mask. "He's here."

I made to move with the others towards the door but J'onn grabbed my arm. "No, Lois. We need you to stay here."

"But…" I looked at J'onn who motioned with his eyes to Jason. My son was currently peeking out the window. I bit my lip. "Fine but if anything happens, anything at all, there's nothing stopping me from leaving here."

"Understood," J'onn said before flying through the wall. The others had already left.

The second he was gone I rushed to the window to join Jason. What I saw petrified me. Hundreds of boom tubes were scattered throughout the sky, para-demons pouring out of them in droves. In the middle of it all, floating in the air with a look of utter hatred on his face, was Clark. His outfit reminded me of what he was wearing when we rescued him from the Preserver except it was form fitting like his usual primary colored suit. The large S on his chest was white, standing out like a beacon against the black fabric. He seemed to be observing as the para-demons spread the populace of Metropolis into mass panic. I could hardly believe that Clark would allow such a thing to happen but another look on his face told me he wasn't himself.

"Why isn't Daddy stopping them?" Jason whimpered. "And why is he wearing all black?"

I pulled Jason away from the window and sat down on the couch with him in my lap. "Honey, your father isn't himself. Darkseid did something to him."

"What did he do?"

I bit my thumbnail. My son was only six and he'd been exposed to things any other six year old would consider mere imagination. Should I tell him that his father's mind was being controlled by an evil alien bent on killing us all? I couldn't bring myself to do that. But the look Jason was giving me demanded an explanation. It was so similar to Clark I could hardly stand it.

Martha appeared at that moment and took Jason by the hand. I nearly leapt out of my skin; I'd forgotten she was even in the room. She smiled at me briefly before squeezing Jason's hand. "Jason, do you remember those cartoons where someone hits their head and temporarily forgets who they are so they act like an entirely different person?"

Jason blinked a few times before nodding. "So, Daddy hit his head?"

"He hit it really hard," I said, silently thankful to have Martha by my side. She was in just as much turmoil over seeing Clark like this as I was.

"Will he get better?" Jason sniffled, looking out the window again as para-demons flew past the glass.

"Yes, he will," Martha promised.

"How?" Jason wondered.

"Your mother is going to go talk to him," Martha replied. "She'll set him straight."

My jaw dropped open but my negative reply died in my throat when I saw the hope that filled Jason's face. I had no idea what Martha was expecting me to do but I couldn't bring myself to dash my son's hope into pieces. Unable to speak, I nodded to show Jason that his grandmother was right.

"You'll fix everything, Mommy?" he asked.

My smile was strained. "I'll do what I can, Munchkin. Say, why don't you go take a shower?"

"But there are bug men out there!" Jason said, fearful.

"It's alright, sweetheart," I soothed, lying through my teeth. "We'll be fine in here."

Jason put up a fight but after another five minutes of coaxing and soothing, he relented and went into the bathroom. The moment the hot water turned on I rounded on Martha. "What on earth do you expect me to do, Martha?! I can't just waltz up to Clark for a chat! Do you see the look on his face?"

Martha was back to looking out the window. "I'm looking at it right now, Lois."

I rushed to the window to peer through the blinds. Clark was still in the same spot I last saw him except he was talking to Wonder Woman. They seemed to be arguing. I wished I could hear what they were saying. Before I could brave opening the window, I froze in shock as Clark punched Diana square in the jaw and sent her flying through the skyscraper next to our apartment. The ground shook and several glass objects in the kitchen shattered as Martha and I grabbed the curtains to remain steady.

I looked out the window just in time to see Wonder Woman retaliating with a punch of her own. Clark soared backwards, his body encasing in the metal structures of a construction zone. The other League members had arrived and were trying to talk some sense into him but Clark wouldn't hear any of it. He zoomed out of the metal, taking a large beam with him, and swung it like a baseball bat right at Green Lantern. Barely managing to construct a green orb around himself, Green Lantern went flying through the air. I felt like I was watching some weird version of baseball. A news crew had arrived on scene and braved recording the conflict.

The other League members came at Clark all at once but to my horror he took them down one right after the other. All it took was one punch and Green Arrow tasted pavement. Green Lantern was smashed into the side of a building and didn't get back up. Aquaman didn't return to his feet after being shoved into the side of a parked police car. Wonder Woman held her own until Clark appeared behind her and cuffed her hands with bent metal. I was shocked that was all it took to subdue her. The Amazon Princess fell to her knees. Batman rushed forward to aid her but Clark turned around and flicked him in the forehead. The Dark Knight dropped like a stone. Flash and Martian Manhunter were the only ones left. Clark wasted no time defeating Flash by melting his shoes with his heat vision. He then punched Flash hard enough to knock him back into the pavement.

Martian Manhunter came up behind Clark in an attempt to grab his head but Clark anticipated the move. He disappeared in a burst of speed only to reappear with a huge chunk of debris from a skyscraper. He flung it at the Manhunter, who soared through it transparent before reappearing as a dragon. Clark soared down to a gas station located on the corner of the street. Just as J'onn reached him, Clark broke the containers filled with gasoline, spreading the foul smelling substance all over the dragon's face. Using heat vision, Clark's aim immediately ignited the gasoline and sent the Martian careening into the asphalt, his body transforming to normal. As J'onn wreathed in pain from the fire, Clark slammed into him, extinguishing the flames but also knocking him unconscious.

"No!" I screamed, terrified.

Though I was fourteen stories up, I could see the view of the aftermath perfectly. Clark's former colleagues were scattered and unconscious while he stood over them without emotion. The news crew dared approach a few feet closer. Clark saw them coming but did nothing to stop or invite them to come further. Ignoring them, he pulled out some strange blackened crystal and pointed it at Martian Manhunter. A purple beam shot from the crystal, encased the Manhunter, and retracted back into the crystal, taking J'onn with it. Martha and I watched in silent terror as each member of the Justice League disappeared into the crystal Clark held in his hand.

"The Phantom Zone," Martha breathed her voice thick with disbelief and horror.

"That's what that crystal is?" I gasped, looking away from Clark long enough to see the turmoil in Martha's eyes.

"It's not the Phantom Zone itself but a portal that transports its victims there," she muttered. "Clark told me he got rid of it but there it is."

"What exactly is the Phantom Zone?" I asked. "I know little to nothing about it."

"From how Clark explained it to me, the Phantom Zone is the place Kryptonians would send their criminals. They don't have a death penalty but the Phantom Zone is a fate just as terrifying. You have no communication with the outside world and you're trapped with all the other criminals and creatures that dwell there to fend for yourself."

I looked back out the window and gasped. "Martha! Clark's fighting against Orion!"

Martha looked back out the window pane just in time to see the son of Darkseid rocketing down the street; the result from connecting with Clark's fist. A streak of black shot through the sky and Clark reappeared long enough to change Orion's course straight into the air with another uppercut. The window actually rattled from the impact and I feared that Clark had killed the prince of New Genesis but when Orion started to fall, he twisted through the air and used gravity to his advantage to kick Clark in the face. Clark was a blur as he disappeared through a building.

Orion smashed into the asphalt, creating a crater the size of a pickup truck. He was just beginning to crawl out of it when a horrible wrenching sound rattled my eardrums even though I was on the other side of the glass. Clark emerged, his eyes glowing red from melting his way through metal, plaster, and shattered glass. The wrenching sound was the result of the skyscraper Clark had forced himself out of. The building teetered back and forth and started to collapse in on itself. Horrified, I watched as the building came down, covering Clark and Orion in a plume of smoke and debris.

Unable to see anything, Martha rushed over to the television and turned it on. The station was already on the news due to the fact that I tended to watch that the most as a reporter. The news anchor on screen was a man wearing a black trench coat over a snappy gray suit. He had the microphone almost on his lips as he shouted.

"We can't believe what we're actually seeing Donald but it looks as if Superman has gone rouge! We're in the suburbs of Metropolis where we just witnessed Superman take down the rest of the Justice League under the grounds that they were a threat that needed to be dealt with."

The smoke began to clear enough for the camera to make out a purple beam encasing the outline of a man. I shivered. The reporter on screen became silent as did the rest of the world. Even the strange cicada-like noise from the para-demons had gone silent. Superman emerged from the smoke like a wraith, his expression devoid of any emotion as he slowly approached the news crew while slipping the black stone into a pocket on his belt.

He stood tall, folded his arms, and looked right at the reporter. "Are you broadcasting this to the world?" he demanded in a voice that nearly frosted my heart. It was cold just like his eyes. I'd never seen him like this.

"Y-Yes," the reporter stuttered.

"Good," Superman said. "That makes this much easier." He stepped closer and in a loud voice declared, "People of Earth, from here on your lives are no longer your own! I am Kal-El of Krypton and have come in the name of Lord Darkseid to rid this planet of corruption and chaos. Your planet is responsible for the death of my race and therefore Lord Darkseid has given me the right and privilege to be your overseer as we transform this pathetic world into a utopia of order and tranquility. As has been demonstrated, any who oppose this transformation and dare to defy me and hence defy Lord Darkseid will be banished to the Phantom Zone. I do not wish to destroy the life that has already been built on this planet. I am here to help shape it into something more under the command of Lord Darkseid. We have decided to cease the work of physically attempting to transform the Earth and instead will focus our efforts on transforming all human life into a pattern of domestication and subjugation. I highly suggest your full cooperation with the strict warning that any who dare to wage war will face a fate worse than death. The rules of your new life will be sent out to all ranges of the world through multiple kinds of communication and technology within the hour. The para-demons you see will ensure that those regulations are followed to the letter. If there is resistance, those at the source of it will deal with me personally. That is all."

Before the reporter could even blink, Clark disappeared into the sky through a boom-tube. As I shakily fell back onto the couch, I barely heard the reporter gasp, _"It's the end of the world."_

**Everything went downhill in this chapter, huh? Look for the next update in five days! Wow, I'm so evil making you all wait so long to see what happens huh? Oh well, the wait will be worth it! ;) I promise things will look a little brighter in the next one! Don't forget to hit that little box at the bottom and review! If I get many reviews, you all might see Clark come back sooner than later! Thanks for reading! **


	20. Captivate

**AN: Hey guys! I'm super sorry this is a day late! I had to work an impromptu overnight shift and my usual routine suffered from that. I hope that all of you enjoyed the horrible state of affairs last chapter! I'm so evil, I know. But this chapter will be a bit better. A huge thank you to all those who have favorited and are following this story! I also appreciate all the people who have left reviews and have taken time to read my work - all of you are incredible! Please let me know what you think of this new Kal-El Lois has to deal with! **

**Reviews will bring Superman back! :D**

20 Captivate

Christmas came and went but nobody celebrated. In fact, nobody even realized the holiday passed due to everyone's life becoming a complete and utter train wreck. Kal-El had lived up to every threat he uttered that first day. The rules and regulations were available right when he said they would be and they went into effect immediately. The first ones to protest were talk show hosts and news anchors. Unfortunately, the moment their protests were broadcast live, Kal-El arrived and mercilessly sent every person to speak out in the television stations to the Phantom Zone. People learned quickly after that to keep their heads down and do as they were told. The newspapers were free to print the news as long as they didn't print anything that would be categorized as treason.

There was a curfew where everyone had to be inside off the streets by ten at night and remain there until six in the morning. There were hundreds of people who at first defied the curfew but their fate was to be vaporized by the para-demons who weren't as lenient or "compassionate" as Kal-El (who never killed but banished souls to an unknown dimension of terror). Large structures were built to shelter the homeless during the night so as to keep them off the streets too. And in third world countries even huts had been built to curb the excuse.

Every person also had to be registered into a system run by Kryptonian technology. We weren't branded but we were forced to wear bracelets at all times that displayed all our personal information if any of us ran into or found ourselves in trouble. The bracelets were called ID's, just like any other kind, but they felt like a physical reminder of imprisonment rather than identification. Even new born children had to wear them.

Although these new strict laws were in force, Kal-El had granted that the laws of government in each country were still followed with the understanding that they were regulated according to his discretion if anything seemed unfitting. He made sure that the laws were obeyed by having the local law enforcements report through technology all that transpired; he also had them shepherded by the para-demons. By the end of the first week of the change there were cameras in every city and town with every satellite under Kal-El's ever watchful eye.

We were granted privacy in our own homes but nobody dared breathe a word of what they really felt since everyone knew Kal-El's hearing could pick out even the very hint of treason. As the days turned into weeks, the world slowly began to go back to its usual habits with the exception of crime; any who attempted it were thrown in the Phantom Zone or obliterated by para-demon ray guns. Children went to school (the curriculum now included a history of Apokolips and the "utopia" it brought to all mankind), young adults picked up their college lives, adults returned to work, and the elderly relaxed in their homes or care facilities.

What else could we do? We were at the mercy of Darkseid and Kal-El, both incredibly dangerous alien beings. The militaries of each country were even under Kal-El's command; none of them would be able to help us. The Justice League was gone. Any who opposed Kal-El was sentenced the Phantom Zone never to return. There really was nothing that we could do without jeopardizing our lives or the lives of our loved ones.

Despite the frustration we all felt at having to live in such dire circumstances, we found ways of showing our individuality. People focused more on what they were good at instead of what they lacked in an attempt to keep hope. We treated each other more kindly and I know it wasn't just because of wanting to look good in front of the cameras. When humans are threatened, we band together and do everything in our power to support, strengthen, and defend each other. It's kind of interesting what a worldwide threat will do.

I sighed as I dropped Jason off at school, kissing him delicately on the forehead. "I love you, son."

"I love you too, Mommy," he muttered.

Even as he walked away I could see his little shoulders slump. Jason had done a really good job trying to be upbeat and positive but his good spirits were chipped away every time he saw his father on television banishing someone to the Phantom Zone. My son was going to be in serious need of therapy after all of this was over. Oh, yes, I was determined that this new reality was not going to last long. There was no way I could live in a world where the love of my life was controlled by an evil alien bent on universal domination.

It had been two weeks and I was already going crazy. I'd go to work, chase down stories, write up the news, and look over at Clark's desk so often that my neck would kink up. Others had noticed his disappearance but Perry waved them off by saying he got a call that Clark's mother was in critical condition and he was on leave until further notice. I was terrified that someone was going to put two and two together especially if they started digging. Martha was fine. She was actually back in Smallville, living on her farm, quietly waiting for the storms of this horrible situation to pass; Kal-El had allowed people to return living in the smaller cities and villages.

The second Clark had disappeared that first day, Martha had whispered to me what needed to be done. I was petrified but willing to do what she asked; it was the only feasible way to get Clark back without bloodshed. The only reason why it was taking so long was because we had to wait for things to settle down – the less Darkseid suspected the better. These past two weeks had been torturous but proved to be in my favor. After waiting for the opportune moment, I had nailed an interview with Kal-El. He just happened to take up his main residence in Metropolis – big surprise – and become a fan of the Daily Planet for its open allegiance to Darkseid. So when the call came to ask for an interview, he'd gladly accepted.

The interview was scheduled to take place in an hour and I was a mess. The honest truth was this wasn't really an interview; it was a seduction attempt.

Richard had laughed himself silly when he'd heard the plan but that's because my seduction attempts at him had been terrible. The reality was (and I was too nice to say this to him) I'd never been able to really seduce Richard because I didn't feel for him the way I felt for Clark. I was willing to pull out every single stop I had in order to get that man to succumb to my will. If I could get Clark to eat out of the palm of my hand, I could find a way to free the League; Chloe had revealed that Clark had once confided in her that people can escape the Phantom Zone.

My job was to seduce Clark and gain his confidences so when the time was right, I could get my hands on the black crystal and release every person Clark had imprisoned. It would take time but it would all be worth it. I took several deep breaths as I got in the elevator that would take me to the bullpen of the Daily Planet. I hadn't even made it halfway towards my desk when Perry shouted for me to get into Conference Room 2. Not even bothering to set down my bag, I walked in to find Perry, Richard, my father, and Chloe sitting around the table.

I looked on sadly at Richard who was taking his new adjustment pretty well seeing as he had to relearn how to do everything with his left hand. He smiled just as sadly when he caught my eye. Chloe enveloped me in a hug and my father nodded in my direction looking rather grave.

"Alright, this is it," Perry muttered after slamming the door closed. "Are you ready, Lane?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I muttered, my heart beating wildly.

Richard frowned. "You're not seriously going to try to seduce him wearing _that_ are you?"

I looked down at my red button up blouse, black pencil skirt, and bright red stilettos. "What's wrong with what I've got on, Richard?"

"It doesn't even look that…revealing," he finished lamely because my gaze was so fierce it would have burned a hole in him if I had heat vision.

"Well it's a good thing you've never tried to seduce Clark before Richard because I would have failed miserably following your advice!" I snapped.

"I think Richard's right," Perry muttered.

I rounded on him, feeling my cheeks burn. "Perry!"

"What? Lois, you're trying to seduce not go out to lunch."

"Oh for the love of –" I stopped myself and took a deep breath. Even my father appeared to be in agreement with Richard and Perry. They didn't get it.

Chloe, however, was looking at me triumphant. "You're going to knock him off his feet, Lois." The men immediately began to protest but Chloe cut them off. "All of you fail to realize that Clark isn't the typical male. He's not going to be attracted to the things that all of you would be attracted to."

"Exactly!" I cried, exasperated.

Comprehension started to dawn on my father's face. "It's because he isn't hu–"

"Dad!" I cried, cutting him off.

He stopped, looking terrified. We all waited but nothing happened. It was strictly forbidden to use any terminology that would draw Clark's ears our way.

Richard cleared his throat. "So, you mean to tell me that Clark isn't like other men?"He asked the question casually, masking his disbelief well.

I shook my head. "Not entirely. He's attracted to women the same as you but he first falls in love before appreciating clothing. He sees the woman not the clothes she has on. Sure the clothes become a bonus later but... _anyway!_ Dressing like this is the best way I can impress him and catch his eye so I don't need any more comments from the peanut gallery, thank you," I finished, my face flushed.

"Well, Clark fell head over heels for you the first time he saw you," Perry chuckled, "if what you say is true Lois, I think you're going to win him over in no time."

"You're forgetting that Clark has been brainwashed into acting the same as the rest of his race," Chloe interjected. "Clark explained to me once that his kind didn't like physical contact even in their married relationships."

"You're kidding! Why?" Richard wondered.

Chloe shrugged. "It was passed down and sort of became a part of accepted social behavior. They would touch on occasion but only in the most emotional of circumstances and usually behind closed doors."

"Since when did you become the expert on his people's history?" Richard asked with raised eyebrows.

"Clark went to the fortress often to study with his father about his heritage. There were several bizarre things he learned and he needed someone to talk to about them. Pete and I were usually his listening ears."

"If Clark has returned to being…you know… then do you think he'll take the bait?" Perry asked, looking at Chloe.

Chloe gave me a once over and then smiled. "I think he will. Clark may be confused right now but if there's one thing I have unshaken faith in, it's his feelings for Lois."

I blushed a little and muttered, "I wish I shared your confidence, Chloe."

Chloe put her hand on my shoulder. "Believe me, Lois, just because he's forgotten everything doesn't mean his feelings have changed. You may be able to convince someone they're different but the feelings they have are never erased. They're just buried. You are the only one who can dig up Clark's feelings but you don't need to freak out about how to do it. Just be you. That's who he fell in love with."

I searched her eyes and found the reassurance I was looking for. I smiled and hugged her tightly. "Thanks Chloe," I whispered.

"That's what friends are for," she said, squeezing me back.

She'd said exactly what I needed to hear. Even though I knew without a doubt that Clark loved me, I still harbored a stupid fear that he would reject me now because I was human. After observing him for a week Chloe had confirmed to us that, judging by his pattern of living and discipline, Clark had been brainwashed by Darkseid into embracing his Kryptonian heritage. When she revealed Kryptonian physical relationships to me I quickly fell into a spiral of doubt and fear. That little revelation made the whole "Operation Seduce" plan seem nigh impossible at first. But Chloe and Martha had reminded and reassured me of my relationship with Clark. It hadn't always been about physical touch; that had blossomed after we had gained a friendship.

The General, Richard, and Perry may have been under the impression that I was going to come out of this interview as Kal-El's girlfriend but the truth was I was banking on leaving with a secure interest that would lead to friendship. If we were going to get the black crystal this plan needed to be accomplished over a period of time no matter how desperate the world was in being freed.

Chloe glanced at her watch. "You'd better get going, Lois."

I nodded, my mouth suddenly going dry. Perry clapped me on the shoulder. "You're going to be fine," he said gruffly.

"Good luck, Lo."

"Thanks Dad."

Richard grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. "If you're gone for a long time, don't worry. We'll pick up Jason."

I frowned and rolled my eyes. "Maybe you should be aware of the time so we don't have to call out a search party should you and Chloe get locked in the supply closet."

Both blushed and I smiled deviously as I waved goodbye and headed for the elevators. Kal-El had taken residence at City Hall. My taxi ride got stuck in traffic so the last ten minutes I spent on foot, rushing down the sidewalks while trying to avoid bumping into people. Out of breath, I walked past the para-demons standing on either side of the entrance doors into a brilliantly lit lobby. I walked down the hall passing several para-demons and rushed business workers; everyone seemed to be in a hurry like they didn't want to linger here longer than they could help it. As I took the elevator to the fourth floor, I regulated my breathing and grabbed my compact mirror from my bag to make some last minute touch ups. My hair was a little windswept but the curls were still rich and vibrant. I thanked my lucky stars for that.

I just barely managed to reapply some perfume and throw it and my mirror back into my bag when the elevator doors dinged open and I stepped out into a smaller reception area. A waiting section with several couches and magazines took up the left side of the room while the other harbored a receptionist desk.

A young woman with blond hair and strapping blue heels approached me holding a tablet in her hands.

"Are you Miss Lane?" she asked.

"I am."

I inwardly scowled as she sized me up and down. The dismissive expression on her face was enough to see she thought herself superior in looks. She was very proud in the way she carried herself but honestly I thought she was trying too hard. Her blouse was incredibly low cut, her makeup over the top, and her hair so full of hairspray that the blond curls looked like they were a wig. And let's be honest, nobody goes to work wearing a mini skirt and six inch strapping heels with a bow on the back unless they're trying to get someone's attention. It was clear to me that this woman lusted for power and currently Kal-El was number one in that department.

"Follow me," she said dismissively, turning on her heel and swaying her hips.

We passed the desk, heading for a pair of large cherry wood doors. She knocked twice and waited.

"Come in," a timbre voice invited.

My heart skipped a beat. The receptionist opened the door to reveal Kal-El standing with his back to us, his eyes overlooking the city through windows that reached from ceiling to floor. Sunshine bathed the room but the air conditioning kept it from being intolerable for humans. Kal-El had his hands behind his back and his head was tilted slightly – a position I'd seen before when he was leisurely enjoying the sun's rays.

"Miss Lane is here, sir," the receptionist announced.

"Thank you, Katherine," he said without turning around.

Katherine looked fairly disappointed that he hadn't even bothered to look at us as she made her leave. I felt myself smirking over her displeasure. Can you blame me? The woman was way out of her league. Though she didn't know it, her boss was taken. As soon as the door was closed, Kal-El turned around.

My heart fluttered uncontrollably and before I could stop myself, I gave him a once over. I couldn't help it! Clark may have looked adorable in primary colors but when he wore black, it brought out _everything_. This black suit he wore was even more attractive than the army clothes he'd dawned back in Smallville. I had to mentally smack myself back into reality. _Focus, Lane!_

If I hadn't been too busy ogling over my ignorant fiancé, I would have had more time to realize that he was just as transfixed by me as I was by him. I did manage to catch the look in his eyes though. He had definitely approved of the outfit. I smiled to break the ice.

"Thank you for accepting an interview, sir," I said.

He blinked and then returned the smile. My gosh, it was Clark's usual goofy grin. He didn't even realize how hard it was to keep my mind focused on my task just from that smile! This was going to be a lot harder than I thought.

"Not at all, Miss Lane," he said, walking behind his desk and sitting down, indicating that I sit in the chair opposite. I did so. "I wanted to thank you."

I raised my eyebrows. "For what?"

"It has not escaped my attention that your newspaper has printed satisfactory stories supporting Lord Darkseid's cause," he answered, threading his fingers together. "The other papers and news channels rebelled at first but the Daily Planet has supported our cause from day one. Your articles specifically caught my attention."

"Oh?"

"Yes," he said, pulling out several previous Daily Planet issues.

I noticed that each one was folded to show my bylines. _Why Kal-El, have you been spying on me?_ I inwardly smiled. "I hope I made a good impression," I said.

"This interview is proof of that," he replied, setting the newspapers aside.

"Well, thank you, sir."

"Call me Kal."

I looked up and caught his blue eyes staring so intently at me that I blushed. Intuition screamed that this request was one he had not given to many others. In fact, I was fairly sure that nobody had earned addressing him with such a personal title. I swallowed, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

"Alright…Kal," I muttered, blushing furiously. Unable to look at him, I busied myself with my bag, fishing for my recorder. "Where did I put that thing," I mumbled.

"Your right pocket."

I looked up at him. It was just like that night when he returned after being gone for five years. He'd found me on the roof, stopping me from smoking. Perry had wanted me to get an interview with him. This scene was so similar to that I nearly burst out laughing. I contained my grin as I pulled the recorder out.

"Thanks," I said, setting it down on the desk between us.

"So, Miss Lane, what questions do you have for me?" he asked and I noticed his eyes were twinkling.

How incredible it was to see him acting just like any other interview! I had to constantly remind myself that he was still under Darkseid's control because he appeared just as kind, just as compassionate, and just as attractive as he had in the past. If I hadn't seen him banishing people to the Phantom Zone myself I would have scoffed if someone exclaimed he'd gone rouge.

The interview went smoothly, lasting surprisingly about an hour. Clark gave me his undivided attention and, surprise surprise, flirted with me the whole time. I don't even think he realized he was doing it either. The guarded exterior he'd possessed when I'd first arrived with his secretary had all but shattered when the interview concluded.

"Well, I think that's pretty much all I need," I said, shutting the recorder off.

He seemed disappointed but masked it well with a pleasant nod. "I enjoyed answering your questions, Miss Lane."

I gave him the most alluring smile I could muster. "I enjoyed giving them, Kal." I caressed his name with the tone of my voice. To my pleasure, I actually saw him shiver. _Score!_ Though longing to stay, I knew I shouldn't overdue it. I stood up. "I should probably be heading back."

He stood up too and I happily noticed that he had that famous Clark-Kent puppy dog stare. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "Miss Lane?"

Was he actually nervous? Oh, yes, yes he was. Wow, winning him over had been easier than I thought. _Play hard to get, Lane! Don't make it easy for him!_

"Yes?" I asked innocently.

"It's customary to have an afternoon meal around this time, is it not?" he asked anxiously.

I glanced at the clock, deciding to play dumb. "Hmmm, I guess so," I hedged. "But people don't always eat lunch around noon."

I looked at him just in time to see him squirm. When he noticed my eyes upon him, he withdrew his outward emotion and frowned. "I didn't know that," he admitted.

I smiled. "Kal, are you hungry?"

"Yes!" he said almost too eagerly.

I hid my grin. "You know, I was just thinking about going to this little café down the road. Do you want to come?"

His eyes lit up and I realized it took everything he had not to allow himself to grin. He pretended to look conflicted, a sight I found rather endearing. "I may have to check my schedule," he muttered, looking at his desk.

I had to stop myself from laughing. His schedule was open until four; I'd noticed it on his desk when I'd first walked in. I pretended to examine my nails, waiting.

"It seems I have some time to spare," he said.

I smiled. "Great! Have you ever had hamburgers?"

We received a lot of stares as we walked down the sidewalk together. Kal had offered to have his secretary drive us there but I wasn't willing to let anyone suspect that I had a relationship with him other than being a press agent. Besides, we could use this outing as an excuse of him wanting the people to see his intentions were not to be a dictator but a kind ruler. I went with that angle and loudly voiced it several times as we headed to the café.

He seemed a little annoyed by my loud remarks of this being the perfect opportunity for the people to see him in such a good light; obviously what he had in mind was simply taking me to lunch not putting on a show. If he happened to display any kind of physical contact I decided to have the 'this needs to be kept a secret' talk.

We entered the café, a little place called Iggy's, and it became as silent as a graveyard. I pretended not to notice the difference as I located a booth away from the crowds. "This is a place I think you'll be able to find has surprisingly good tastes," I said. "It has great reviews and I'm sure it will pass the inspections you mentioned earlier."

Kal looked at me a little confused but decided to run with the idea. "I hope you're right, Miss Lane," he said, masking his bemusement though his eyes yelled for an explanation.

After hearing he apparently was here to inspect, people tried to pretend they weren't listening in as they turned back to their meals. I sighed and whispered under my breath, "Kal, having lunch with me might raise suspicions concerning your authority. In order to keep up appearances we have to pretend you wanted to inspect the daily life inside of every day restaurants and I'm just here to show you the ropes. Got it?"

He looked at me curiously but with understanding and nodded just as the owner appeared at our table. The poor man was sweating bullets as he stumbled over himself. "Welcome to Iggy's, sir. Is there anything particular I could interest you in?"

"Let me handle this," I muttered.

Kal looked at me but it was one of consent.

"Hey Greg," I said with a smile.

Greg leapt out of his skin. Obviously he hadn't seen me due to his attention being solely on Kal-El. "Miss Lane! I didn't even see you there."

I grinned. "I know I don't usually bring Kal-El with me when I come but we just finished our first interview and I raved about how great this place was. He decided he wanted to see if it lives up to its name."

That news didn't sit too well with Greg since his restaurant was on the line but he pretended to act normal as he smiled. "Of course, we have a large variety of choices…is there anything particular you'd like?"

"Give us a minute with the menu, will you?" I asked.

"Sure," Greg muttered before bee lining for the kitchen.

"You're going to give that man a heart attack," I chuckled as I looked at the menu.

Kal shifted uncomfortably. "I'd hate for him to think I was going to shut down his business. I'm trying to show humans that I approve of their work."

"No offense, but you banishing people to the Phantom Zone kind of intimidated us."

He frowned. "My actions were meant to destroy any attempt of committing chaos, Miss Lane. I did not think it would strike fear so much."

He looked so distraught by that revelation that I almost reached out to touch him. Trying to clear the heavy air, I looked back at the menu. "So, um, anything catch your eye?"

He perused the menu, frowning. "I don't think I've ever had a hamburger before."

I smiled behind my curls. Clark always picked hamburgers when we came here. "I think you should go with that," I encouraged. "They're really good!"

"What are you getting?"

"The same thing I always get; a salad with freshly squeezed orange juice," I said, waving my left hand carelessly.

The sunlight reflected on my engagement ring, casting a temporary rainbow on the ceiling before fading into shadow. Kal noticed but didn't comment. Greg returned. We placed our orders, Kal deciding to give orange juice a try. The drinks were brought out immediately with the promise that the food would be ready in ten minutes.

Kal asked me a wide range of questions about myself all throughout lunch. Right after the food was brought out, he let his tongue loose.

"How long have you worked for the Daily Planet?" he asked.

I raised an eyebrow as I stirred my salad around. "Is this an interview?"

Kal shifted as he tossed a french-fry into his mouth. "I guess," he muttered.

I smiled. "I've worked there for years – since I was seventeen, in fact."

"Is it rude to inquire how old you are?"

The question was so child-like! Was he really controlled by Darkseid? I looked into his innocent expression and saw nothing suggesting it. Still, I needed to be cautious. Good thing talking about me was a fairly safe subject.

Shrugging, I supplied, "Most people may find it rude but I don't. I'm thirty two."

"That's fairly young in human years."

I laughed. "I guess. Most people think when you're over twenty you're getting old."

He frowned. "Doesn't the average human live to be in their seventies?"

"Generally, yes. People just don't like growing up," I said, stabbing some lettuce and a tomato.

"What do you think?" he asked.

I chewed, thinking it over. "It hasn't really occurred to me until…" uh-oh. We'd stumbled on a topic I didn't want to discuss.

"Until what?" Kal prompted.

No. No way was I going to talk about Jason. He was off limits right now. Darn it! I focused on stabbing my salad and decided to abruptly change the conversation. "Never mind. I just haven't really thought about it."

He knew I was lying but I wasn't going to elaborate if he tried to pry anything more from me on the subject. Seeing this, he asked, "Have you always lived in Metropolis?"

There we go! Safe conversation! The rest of lunch was taken up explaining all about being a brat in the army, moving everywhere, and my family life. Kal was very interested when I revealed my dad was still a general in the army. He even expressed desire to meet him sometime. We finished the meal. I made to pay for it but Greg said it was on the house. The restaurant was rather subdued as we left. I breathed a lot easier once we were outside. Kal seemed to feel the same way.

We walked back towards City Hall, drawing more stares. Ignoring them, Kal asked, "Did you drive here, Miss Lane?"

I shook my head. "No, I took a taxi."

"Would you like my secretary to drive you back?"

"No, that's okay, but thanks for the offer."

We walked in silence a few more minutes and before I knew it we had reached the steps of City Hall. Kal turned to me. "I enjoyed being in your company, Miss Lane. Thank you for inviting me to lunch."

I smiled, trying to keep things neutral but already I was longing for him to latch onto me and skyrocket to the heavens. Unfortunately he wasn't showing any signs of doing so. I couldn't keep the disappointment from my voice as I said, "It was nice to meet you, Kal. Have a nice day."

I turned to leave.

"Miss Lane?"

My heart skipped a bit as I turned around. "Yes?"

Kal stood tall but he appeared as if he were trying to decide something. A small hope began to bubble within my chest but it popped as he shook his head. "Thank you again," he said lamely.

"It was my pleasure," I said with false cheer. "I'll see you around."

"I'm always around."

I paused, my breathing hitching even as the tears began to swell in my eyes. "I know," I whispered. Without looking back, I quickly walked down the street and hailed down a cab. Kal was still standing on the sidewalk as we drove past.

888

It had been another week. Perry, Richard, and my father were just as disappointed as I had imagined when I'd reported what happened. Chloe was my only source of feeling accomplished. "You made a good head start," she'd said.

I had thought so too until I hadn't heard nor even seen Kal the past seven days. His secretary had stopped by at the Planet four days later to deliver a generic thank you card for the article printed from our interview. I'd tossed the card away the moment Katherine was out of sight. He hadn't even bothered to sign it! I seriously doubted I had even made an impression from such dry results. I had been so sure he'd been attracted to me. Had I done something wrong?

I helped Jason get ready for bed, welcoming the distraction of reading him a bedtime story and tucking him in. However, the second I closed his door, I thought of Kal. Sighing, I made for the balcony I'd claimed as my own 'fortress of solitude'. Even though I was wearing a light camisole and short shorts in the beginning of January, I sat down on my lounge chair and relished the cold against my skin. I looked up in the sky and nearly had a heart attack when I realized it was occupied by Kal, dressed in his black spandex and cape. I couldn't believe it. _Not a word, not a single word for the past seven days, and he suddenly showed up floating right in front of my balcony?! What the heck?!_ I tried to curb my anger as he descended next to me.

"Miss Lane," he greeted, his expression guarded.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you usually make personal house calls?"

"No," he admitted.

"Then why are you here?"

He couldn't meet my eyes. Instead, he looked away, gazing out at Metropolis. "I…I'm not entirely sure."

Making up my mind, I stood up. "Want to come in?" I asked.

He hesitated at first but then nodded. Following me inside, I gestured for him to take a seat while I closed the sliding glass door and drew the blinds. I turned around to find him looking rather uncomfortable, his hands on his knees, his back completely straight.

"Relax, Kal, I'm not going to kill you," I joked, sitting down in the recliner opposite him.

He frowned but didn't say anything. He just stared at me. I suddenly became aware of my appearance. I was probably exposing more skin than he remembered seeing and from the way his eyes were twitching I realized he was trying really hard not to appreciate the view; I guess clothing really was an issue for him... or maybe he'd already fallen in love with me again?

Deciding it was better for him to relax than to be uptight, I stood up. "I'll be right back," I muttered before disappearing into my room. Throwing a blue silk robe over my shoulders, I made sure I was covered before coming back out into the living room. Kal was still there. At the change in my appearance, his fists unclenched.

"So, what brings the world's ruler to my broken down apartment at such a late hour?" I asked.

Kal still kept his back stiff as he looked away from me. I followed his eyes. He was looking down the hall at what could only be Jason's room. I felt my heart quicken in my chest, panicking. Kal looked back at me.

"You have a son," he said.

"Yes," I admitted reluctantly.

Kal then looked at the ring on my finger. "You're married." He appeared rather unhappy.

My eyebrows rose. Seriously? Had he been distant because he thought I wasn't available? "What makes you think that?" I asked, playing with the ring on my finger.

"Is it not custom for human companions to claim the other with a ring?" he demanded, slightly annoyed that I was feinting ignorance.

I shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

Kal scowled. "I find your behavior infuriating, Miss Lane."

I felt a flare of anger. "My behavior is infuriating?! And you think yours hasn't been to me?"

Kal stood up. "What are you implying?" he demanded, stepping close to me.

Instead of being intimidated by his height and build, I marched right up to him. "You may be trying to fool yourself but I know that you're attracted to me! Admit it!"

He looked like I'd slapped him in the face. He shook his head, still in denial, but that only spurred my anger further. Unable to control myself, I grabbed his head and forced his lips onto mine. If he wanted to, he could have pushed me away or taken my arms and crushed me into powder. Instead he was as still as a statue. Furious over his lack of response, I forced my tongue into his mouth.

Now that sparked a reaction.

Immediately his hands moved into their usual place, one behind my head, the other in the small of my back. He pushed me closer to him, closing the distance between us. I broke away to gasp for air but it was like I'd flipped a switch. Since my mouth wasn't available, Kal traced my jaw line with his lips. I shivered uncontrollably when his warm breath tickled the side of my neck and in response I tightened my grip around him. The gesture only encouraged him and before I knew it, I was sitting on his lap on the couch. I hadn't even realized we'd moved – neither did I have time to comprehend how it happened because Kal started kissing me again.

I blame my human tendencies for what happened next. Surrendering to instincts, my hands began exploring his torso in an attempt to find a way to get his top off. In a millisecond, Kal was gone, leaving me on the couch alone. Disoriented, I blinked and looked around. He was spread out flat against the wall, his eyes wide, his chest heaving, and an expression of pure horror on his face.

Immediately feeling like I'd been rejected, I timidly asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

He continued to stare, looking like he was waging a war with himself. I could see he wanted to kiss again but he was restraining himself, almost as if he was trying to convince himself it wasn't right. A sudden thought came into my mind. I stood up and took a step towards him. He flinched. I took another step. He didn't move but his eyes darted wildly back and forth, searching for an escape. I didn't falter as I continued to close the distance between us. He didn't move although he was obviously frightened.

I searched his eyes, trying to reassure him. Slowly, I lifted myself on tiptoe and slid my hands up his broad chest. He shivered under my touch but didn't run away, his eyes forever bearing into mine. I brought my lips up to his and kissed him slowly, delicately, passionately. Pulling away, I rested my forehead against his and whispered in perfect Kryptonian, _"Forever yours and yours alone."_

He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from him so he could look right into my eyes. "What did you just say?" he demanded, stunned.

"_Forever yours and yours alone,"_ I repeated in Kryptonian.

"How do you know that phrase and in my own tongue no less?"

I looked right into his eyes and held up my hand, displaying the engagement ring. "You whispered it to me, Kal-El. You gave me this."

He shook his head. "That's not possible. I only met you last week!"

I grabbed his forearms. "No you didn't! I've known you for years, Clark."

He froze. "What did you just call me?" he whispered.

My eyes widened. His name had just slipped out. "Clark," I admitted.

"I know that name," he muttered, his eyes darting back and forth. "That is the name you whisper quietly every night in your sleep."

I blinked. "You've been listening to me sleep?" I asked, surprisingly flattered.

He nodded, suddenly sheepish. "I noticed the ring, Miss Lane. I thought you were married yet I couldn't bring myself to leave you alone. I'm drawn to you. I was afraid you had a companion but I never saw a man with you even though you muttered that name several times while you slept."

I shook my head and sighed with a smile. Chloe was right; memories could be changed but feelings would always be there. "Your earth name is Clark, Kal-El. Clark is the man I fell in love with and the one who proposed to me."

He looked so lost. "Why do I not have any memory of this?" he questioned.

"Darkseid brainwashed you," I said. "He altered your memories and fed you falsehoods so you'd do his bidding. Humans never destroyed Krypton. We didn't even know it existed until you publically revealed yourself as Superman by saving my life eight years ago."

Kal shook his head. "It's not possible…"

I tightened my hold on his wrist. "It is possible! Believe me, _please!_ I wouldn't make this up." He looked into my eyes. I didn't falter nor did I look away. "I love you, Kal-El. I wouldn't lie about this."

He stepped back from me and walked away to stare out a window. At first, I was afraid he'd leave but instead he just leaned against the wall and looked at the nightlife of Metropolis. I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and hold him close but I felt I needed to keep my distance. I'd just dropped a bomb on him after all; he needed time to think. Wringing my hands, I walked over to the couch and sat down, deciding to wait.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke. "I believe you…Lois."

I looked up. He wasn't facing me but his demeanor from behind looked like someone who had no idea who they were, which, in all honestly, he didn't. What was it like, not knowing what was real and what wasn't? Feeling it was now safe to touch him again, I left the couch and wrapped my arms around him from behind, resting my cheek against his back.

"I'm sorry you're so confused," I whispered. He didn't move his stance but he did place a hand over mine. I squeezed him lightly. "I want to help you, Clark. I know how to get your memories back but you have to trust me."

He turned around and put his hands on my shoulders. Looking right into my eyes, seeking reassurance, he nodded. "I trust you, Lois; I feel that I can."

I smiled. "Good because I'm your best hope, Smallville."

A flicker of familiarity graced his face. "You've called me that before," he muttered.

Tears of relief threatened to fall down my face. "Yes," I nodded, my voice thick with emotion. "It's kind of a pet name, I guess."

He smiled hesitantly. "I like it."

Uncertainly, he bent down, gaining confidence to kiss me but pulled away, sighing.

"What is it?" I asked unable to keep the disappointment from my face.

"Someone was stupid enough to break out of the Metropolis prison," he muttered. "Commissioner Henderson just informed me. I have to go."

Someone broke out of prison? Why did I feel a sense of foreboding? Clark moved to the balcony but I grabbed his hand. "Clark, wait!"

"What is it?" he asked, clearly hearing my heart pick up.

I bit my lip. "I know you have to go but, please, be careful! I have a bad feeling about this."

He smiled. "Lois, I'll be fine. I'll be back in ten minutes at the latest."

"You're coming back?" I asked, surprised.

He raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I? You still have to tell me how you know what will reclaim my memories."

I nodded, letting out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "Okay but if the person who escaped is bald, don't try to face him alone." Clark furrowed his brow but I wouldn't elaborate. "Promise me you'll wait for back up."

My insistence was the only thing that gave him pause. Kissing my forehead, he consented. "Alright," he muttered, "I promise."

He was gone in a rush of wind. Normally I would have sat down and watched some stupid soap opera but the circumstances had shaken my nerves. I already had to deal with Darkseid. If my suspicions were correct, we just might have to deal with Lex Luthor too. Personally, I couldn't handle Lex Luthor right now. I had a very bad feeling that he was the one who escaped. Who else would try to break out of prison given the current state of the world? Knowing Luthor, he would have waited for the opportune moment to make his move. What better time than when the world was controlled by his arch nemesis? He probably figured he could make a pact with Clark now that they were on the same side.

I paced back and forth, repeatedly looking at the clock and mumbling under my breath. Horrible scenarios were playing in my mind of Lex threatening Clark with kryptonite so as to do his bidding. Ten minutes turned into twenty. At this point my heart rate shot through the roof. I was about to throw caution to the winds, grab Jason, and head to the prison myself when Clark returned, tapping on my sliding glass door.

"Oh thank goodness," I gasped, rushing forward and sliding it open. I leapt into his arms. "You scared the heck out of me!" I snapped.

He raised an eyebrow, insulted. "Did you think a mere human could stop me?"

I rolled my eyes. "A mere human nearly killed you a year ago, Clark. Don't underestimate what my people can and can't do."

Clark scoffed. "I doubt any of you could kill me, Lois, but I'm touched by your concern."

I shook my head. "You're a fool to think that way. But, I guess you don't remember being stabbed with Kryptonite so you're ignorant of the fact that you can be hurt."

He frowned. "What are you talking about?"

I took his hand and led him back inside. "It's a long story. First, tell me, who was it?"

Clark shrugged. "Someone named Luthor." My heart shot into my throat. Noticing it, Clark grabbed my hand. "Lois, what is it?"

"What did he do?" I demanded. "Did he say anything?"

Clark looked bemused as he explained, "He made an offer to work with me but I refused. I would rather not affiliate with anyone already confined to prison. He began to breathe out threatenings so I sent him to the Phantom Zone."

My mouth dropped open. "You sent Lex Luthor to the Phantom Zone?"

"Yes? Why? Should I not have?"

I pinched my nose with my fingers. "It's not that you shouldn't have…it's just…there's so much to explain. This would be so much easier if you just remembered everything."

"Then tell me how to get my memories back," he snapped, annoyed.

I scowled. "Don't get mad at me. It's your own fault that this happened to you."

"What are you talking about?"

I shook my head. "Forget it. It's not worth trying to explain. The important thing is getting your memories back and the only person that I know of who can do it is in the Phantom Zone."

"You're not serious, are you?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

He studied me for a moment before shaking his head. "No, but, Lois, who is it? Was it Lex Luthor? Is that why you were so upset?"

I laughed in dry humor. "No, it's not Lex Luthor. No, the one we're looking for is J'onn Jonzz. He's a member of the Justice League."

"The Justice League! Darkseid told me they were the leaders behind the destruction of Krypton!"

"Of course he'd tell you that, Clark," I growled angrily, "they were your _friends_ and the only ones capable of restoring your memories! Darkseid wanted them out of the way. Don't you get it? With them gone, there wasn't any concern of someone being able to stand against you. You could be his puppet without him having to worry about any threats."

Clark's face shrouded in doubt for the first time. "Lois, Darkseid has been nothing but kind to me. What you have suggested has resulted in me questioning his word. The punishment for this seed of mistrust you're planting is banishment to the Phantom Zone."

I gave him the steeliest gaze I could muster. "So what are you going to do? Banish me?"

He grabbed my hand. "No! I could never do that."

"And why not?"

He swallowed and looked down at our intertwined hands. "Because I'm bound to you," he muttered. "The sealing bond has been spoken between us. No matter whom I have pledged myself to, my allegiance to them comes second to you. As an honorary Kryptonian I choose to believe your word over Darkseid's."

"Then you need to free everyone you've placed in the Phantom Zone," I said firmly.

His eyes widened. "Everyone? But, Lois, everyone sentenced there has been a criminal. Their punishments are just."

I shook my head. "One thing you were adamant about before Darkseid took your memories was that the fate of criminals was to be decided by their own nation's leaders. You would testify of their crimes but you left their ultimate judgment in the hands of humans because that's the way it should be. You have to let everyone go, Clark. It's not your right to keep them there."

He looked very conflicted now. He hung his head and sighed. "Part of me wants to deny what you say, Lois, but a greater part feels that you are right."

"What does your heart tell you, Kal-El?"

He glanced at me. "That I can trust you."

"Then trust me! Let everyone go."

Clark shook his head. "It isn't that easy, Lois. There are dangerous creatures that live there as well as thousands of criminals that have been sentenced there by previous Kryptonians. I can't open a portal when there is the possibility of someone or something being released onto this planet that doesn't belong here."

"There has to be a way to get the humans out."

"I didn't say there wasn't a way," he clarified, "I said it wasn't going to be easy."

"What do we have to do?"

"There is a gateway in the Phantom Zone that can open a portal but I have to access it with an offering of my blood."

I blinked. "Come again?"

Clark frowned. "The house of El is an old one, Lois, and was highly respected in all Kryptonian circles. The comparable title Earth would have to us is probably that of a chief or nobleman. Since Krypton didn't have anything like kings and queens, the ranking of my family was the highest Krypton had to offer. We've always been scientists, inventors, explorers, and leaders. My ancestors _made _the Phantom Zone. For maintenance purposes, they created a gateway that could be used as an escape from the Zone but the only way to activate it was with their blood."

"So, you're saying that the only way to free everyone is to go there yourself, spill your blood, and open the gate?" I surmised.

Clark nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?" I demanded.

Clark hesitated but sighed. "I'm not too keen on going there," he admitted.

"Why not?" I asked testily.

He looked uncomfortable. "The creatures there are ones told of in Kryptonian nightmares."

I raised my eyebrows. "Clark, are you afraid?" He didn't answer. His look was all I needed to know that the unspoken answer was yes. I took his hand and squeezed it. "Hey, there's nothing to be afraid of. We'll go together."

He shook his head. "I'm not going to let you come with me, Lois."

I smirked. "Well, that's one thing you forgot."

He looked at me, bemused. "What's that?"

"Whenever I'm told I can't do something that I've already decided to do, nothing can stop me from doing it. And don't try to dissuade me, Clark. You won't win."

He frowned. "Why do I get the feeling that's one of the reasons I fell in love with you?"

I grinned. "So, how do we get into the Phantom Zone?"

**Ta-da! It was a bit happier yes? :) The idea of Kryptonians aversion to touch is not an original idea; I've read of others using this and I thought it made a lot of sense and it works with my story. I thank all of those who have used this idea before me who inspired me to use it in my own writing. I hope it's okay I used it too!**

**Please take another minute or two to review! Thank you! :)**


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